The Bachelor
by the-wicked-zutarians
Summary: Zuko must marry to take the Fire Nation throne. Iroh decides to help by filling a house with beautiful women. Katara, now Princess Katara decides to live at court and watch the action. Who will stay? and Who will go home broken hearted?
1. The Girl Who Would Be King

Diclaimer: I don't own it and am not affiliated with A:TLA or Nickelodeon Studios in anyway.

yay random zutara-ness. It is a little crack-y later on, but not to bad...

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The Bachelor- Fire Nation Version

Zuko slouched down into the over-stuffed chair in his study. His body crumpled into the soft fluffy warmth of the chair and he closed his eyes. He rubbed the bridge of his nose in a vain attempt to fend off the headache that was coming on. The darkness of the room that was unlit by anything but candle sunk in and he began to finally feel the kinks in his shoulders smooth out. As the muscles relaxed Zuko sighed contentedly.

Since his father's fall four years ago there had been no brake for anyone involved in fire nation politics. Iroh had immediately taken the throne as Fire Lord and had shouldered some pretty big responsibilities. Technically it should be Zuko's position but the prince was not to be crowned Lord until he married. It was a long standing law that the Fire Lord had to be or had to have been married at some point. This ruled Zuko out. The fire prince wasn't sure he was ready to take the throne. He wasn't sure he _wanted_ to be ready either. However Iroh was adamant. It was Zuko's right from birth! He must take the throne immediately, or at least as soon as possible. At first he had insisted that they abolish the law and just crown the young prince anyway. There had been much debate on the subject and it had caused discourse among the council members. To have fighting among the prominent members who were loyal to the new reign when so many were ready for a rebellion was not something that pleased Iroh. Even though the war was done, many people, especially those in the fire nation, were still loyal to the regime that Azula and Ozai had established. There was a constant struggle for power and rebellion whispered through the streets like a dark cold breeze. Iroh was concerned about maintaining order should that whisper become a yell or worse a battle cry. He had 'a fledgling government based on ideals that many people thought were treason in it's worst from' Iroh explained to Zuko one day. It was on that day that he also asked that Zuko not ask for the throne directly after the war. Sure it was no longer really considered 'directly' but it was close enough that people were still skeptical of the stability of the nation. They needed to appear solid, like they really could pull themselves back together. Zuko was not saddened as his uncle might have thought; instead he was more than happy not to choose a bride at the moment. The idea of marrying was not something that really appealed to him. Not at all in fact. So that is how Zuko came to be sitting in his study as the Royal Prince of the Fire Nation four years later.

Just as Zuko was about to slip into blissful oblivion a sharp rapping came at the door. He suppressed a groan and shrank further into his chair. Maybe if he pretended to be asleep they would leave him alone. He hadn't slept in 36 hours after all. Zuko started to wonder when he would start hallucinating.

"My Prince!" The voice carried through the door and there would be no convincing it he was asleep. However Zuko ignored it at first thinking it was some silly question like what flower should go where. (they had recently started renovating the gardens) There was a serious of muttering to low for Zuko to hear and honestly he was too tired to care much. He heard boots click down the hallway and fade into the further parts of the palace. The messenger had left, and presumably who ever he was muttering to had gone with him. He smiled, and started back again into the beautiful black.

The door opened quietly. Now he was awake. Zuko instinctively reached for the broad swords he wore at his side. He cracked one eye open to see a familiar pudgy figure sneaking through the room. He relaxed. It was only Iroh. He heard tea being poured. Not a nig surprise there.

"Zuko, there is a matter I need to speak to you about." Iroh was calm, but after spending so much time together Zuko could hear the underlying apprehension in his tone, and he knew that this could not be good. He warily righted himself in his chair and faced his uncle.

"Okay, please go ahead." He exercised the manners he had learned recently and Zuko tried to keep the weary annoyance out of his voice, but from the brief look of regret that passed over Iroh's face he knew he had failed. Iroh was always regretting the pressure being put on Zuko. He wished that he might grow like any of the previous fire princes, and not have to deal with regaining trust and public opinion during his formative years. He wished he might find some nice young girl that he honestly loved to settle down with, and mostly he wished that he would find happiness. Sadly happiness did not run in his blood and apparently neither did luck.

"Zuko…" Iroh hesitated. The unusual waver in Iroh's confidence drew Zuko's attention and his eyes snapped to his uncles sitting form. Something was wrong. Something was very very wrong.

"Uncle, what is it?" Zuko sat up in his chair and eyed his uncle carefully.

"Nephew, you see… I'm not…" he sighed and averted his eyes for a second before looking back at his nephew "You know what I've always wanted to do? I want to see the five best tea-shops in each nation. I always have, but it would take too much time. I simply can't be away for months or even years right now." He went on about tea while Zuko shot him a very quizzical look.

"Uncle, I'm not sure where you are trying to go with this…" Zuko tried to help his uncle out.

"Zuko," Once again there was hesitation, even regret in his eyes. "I'm not getting any younger. In fact I am getting older. I'm getting older everyday my nephew. I am also getting weaker, yes Zuko, even I must circum to the great circle of life, and I don't know how much longer I can hold out. I want to be here to mentor you, and help you take the throne. And, and… I want to see my grandchildren. I want to hear their laughter, and more than anything I want to see them grow up. I want to see you in love and happy." A tear coursed down Iroh's cheek and he looked away. "I fear … I shall pass before any of that happens."

Zuko was silent. He was in shock. He knew that it worked that way. People were born, they lived their lives, and then they died. He never imagined that this applied to Iroh thought… well he knew it applied, but dying wasn't something he could think about. His mind wasn't sound enough to take that kind of blow. He needed Iroh, he needed him more than anyone or anything else in the world.

"I'll take the throne." Zuko declared. "Today even." Zuko's voice was rough with emotion, he didn't want the throne, but he would take it. He would take it for Iroh. He would do anything to keep him happy… he gulped at the thought… to keep him alive. He needed to make a plan "I'll… I'll…" Zuko stopped short his fervor to help his uncle only got him that far. What would he do? What _could_ he do? How does one just take a fire nation thrown? Zuko ran his hand through his hair as he realized the enormity of the problem he had just accepted.

"Quiet nephew." Iroh had stopped the tear, and was back to his normal self, pouring tea. "Have some calming tea." He handed Zuko the cup. Usually the prince would have refused the drink, but tonight he took the cup and sipped it dutifully. "Don't worry. I shall take care of everything. You're haste is not needed. Leave the marriage and dating part to me. I will come up with a way to suit you and the court. Mark my words. Though you will need to take a more active role in the political aspect to be truly able to take the throne. There is a meeting tomorrow about the unfilled position of the Earth King along with some other minor things. Seven AM sharp. You will need to be there." Iroh sipped his tea and mumbled something about more jasmine.

"Okay 7 AM and thank you." Zuko mumbled as he slipped into a sleep like stupor.

"Tea works every time." Iroh grinned at his now snoring nephew as he trotted over to the door to fetch a guard to take Zuko back to his room. Zuko needed his sleep; he had a daunting task laying ahead of him now. One that he would have to shoulder with very little help. However Iroh was confident, he would do just fine.

!!

The sun peaked over the window edge and spilled into the room. It tickled Zuko's eyelids and poked him until he woke up. He groaned and flopped over so that his eyes were buried into pillows and he drifted back to sleep. Nice lovely sleep where there were no problems. Suddenly a sharp knock sounded at the door. Zuko groaned.

"What!?" He barked at the completely innocent door, and the not so innocent messenger on the other side.

"Nephew, it's six-thirty! You have half an hour, shouldn't you be up?" Zuko listened to his uncle's voice and took a moment to process the information. Half an hour… crap! Zuko lunched himself out of bed and started to bound across the floor only to step precariously on the area rug, go flying, grab onto the curtains to stop his rather unplanned catapult across the room, rip the curtain, and bring down two lamps, a dresser and a vase of flowers on the way. He hit the floor eventually with a rather loud thwomp.

"I see... er hear you are now awake." Iroh chuckled from the other side of the doors. "Half an hour." He reminded his nephew.

"Uggg." Zuko merely groaned in response.

!!

"Nice to see that you made it on time." Iroh commented dryly as Zuko came running into the meeting room hair a mess and clothing barely on at six-fifty nine. He skidded into his chair and shot Iroh a dirty look, while fixing his still rather rumpled looking shirt. It didn't do any good.

"I made it didn't I?" He tried to reign in his stubborn locks, and failed miserably. Iroh chuckled again, and attempted to turn it into a cough. He too failed miserably. If the meeting went half as bad as their recent attempts had, things were going to be a little messy….

The doors swung open and a royal caller sauntered into the room looking very proud all bedecked in his read silks and velvets. He cleared his throat and pulled out a ridiculously heavy scroll. Another man also dressed in incredibly amusing puffy pants and a tasseled hat glided into the room to stand beside his compatriot. He carried a trumpet, and was called the royal trumpeter. He stood proud and tall dwarfing the announcer. Iroh made a mental note to get him a stool…

"We shall begin if it pleases his Royal Flame-ness and the Prince." He addressed Iroh and Zuko with a low bow and enough flourishes to decorate another full palace.

"Please begin." Iroh waved his hand and the short man unrolled the scroll while the other brought his trumpet to his lips. The puffed out their chests and signaled for the procession to start. More people than either Zuko or Iroh wanted to count were about to enter the room and they had to somehow remember every one of their names. This was going to be fun.

"Now announcing, his royal highness of the land of Hinajk in the Earth Kingdom, Jiudsk Iuhsa, uncle of UIoth Nabheg, brother of Juthuer AIdgud, Son of Qwary Hyuyt ruler of Ifasku." A man walked into the room looking as pompous as a cat with six, no, seven mice. He bowed and Iroh signaled for him to take his seat. Zuko had already forgotten his name. The man did as Iroh bayed him and sat. It started all over again.

"Now announcing…" The caller cried. This pattern was repeated over and over again. Every man who walked in looked as though he was the king of the Earth Kingdom, rather than just a part of the council. After a time they all looked about the same. The faces blurred until one name and one particularly short stature and rude attitude caught his attention.

"Now announcing, recently Miss as she was lately awarded her own Lady-ship for her work in the war, Lady Toph Bei-Fong. Daughter of Lord and Lady Bei-Fong of Gaoling, cousin of..."

"Can it Poofy-Ass." Toph snapped. She had grown in four years; she now stood at what would be her full adult height. The earth-bender was not tall, but she made up for that with her presence. The way she stood made every one in the room look at her. It helped that she wasn't unpleasant to look at. She wore a formal green ambassador gown, and also her let her hair hang down her back in silky waves. She had filled out in other areas too, and no one would think 

that she was just a skinny boy in lose clothing anymore. Toph had become a beautiful young woman, and Zuko wondered how he had missed this and wondered what else he might have missed.

"Hey Sparky, long time no see." Toph greeted Zuko in the same way she always had. This didn't surprise Zuko, who rose.

"Hey pebbles-for-brains, it has been a while." It was a bad insult. Zuko knew it. Toph knew it. Both appreciated it.

"Never was one for insults." She commented wearily. She had also matured in mind and spirit. Tired lines criss-crossed her face and bags hung low beneath her non-seeing eyes.

"It's good to see you Toph." He walked over and embraced her. She hugged back fiercely. By the end of the war Zuko was like an older brother to her. Toph was like the younger sister he never had. They were each others family when they had none, and those ties held over.

"It's good to see you too Zuko. Let's get this over with." Toph rolled her eyes.

"Please." He whispered.

The two old comrades walked back to their seats and waited for the others to come. After another excruciating hour of names and titles, they finally were all there. Every last one. Hakoda had come in later and greeted Zuko a little more formally than Toph had, though still with a friendly air. Katara and Sokka were not with him. Zuko had momentarily wondered why, but had not given it much thought once the deluge of names started again. Toph sat directly to Zuko's right and Hakoda one seat to her right.

"Let the meeting commence." No sooner than Iroh had spoken the words than the door bang open and Aang come zooming in. He still had his smile, though now you could see the clearly chiseled muscles under his orange robe. He was strong and tall, in spirit and in physical form. He also looked tired. Why must the young be so burdened Iroh thought.

"Hey!" Apparently, though he was bigger physically, he was still the same bubbly boy at heart. "Sorry I'm late!" He smiled sheepishly. "Sifu Hotman!" He walked over and smacked Zuko on the back. "Chief Hakoda." He respectfully bowed. Then he walked over to Toph and kissed her on the lips. She kissed him and then pulled back.

"Hey twinkles! You're late." She smiled though.

"Yes I am. Hey babe." He whispered the second part; it wasn't a teasing nickname but an affectionate one. Iroh was grinning from ear to ear, and Zuko's eyes were nearly popping out of his skull. WHEN HAD THIS HAPPENED? WHAT ELSE HAD HE MISSED? Aang took his seat at the head of the table, between Iroh on his left, and Zuko on his right.

"Now we will start." No one burst through the door this time and the meeting commenced.

!!

"So now we have heard every proposal for who should be the new Earth King." Iroh sounded as tired as everyone else was feeling. It had been hours of people talking about themselves. They had blabbered on and on about themselves and how special they were or some such nonsense. Zuko would have stabbed himself with a chopstick if it would have gotten him out of any part of it. Sadly that would have only made it painful physically as well as mentally.

"Let's conduct a blind vote for who should be the next King. Three quarters at least for a consensus." Iroh announced the first vote, and everyone was relieved, they just had to vote and then they would be free. How long could that take right?

!!

Six votes and another few hours later there was not a consensus.

"We should hear more arguments." One man argued.

"We should vote again!" Another shouted.

"We should establish a Bi-Party Democracy where the people have the right to vote for their King!" One shouted.

Zuko looked around at the power hungry people vying for this position. These hooligans would never do. If they were this desperate for power now, what would they do with the power? The answer was: go after more of the same. Power-hungry rulers were a pattern they had seen too much of recently. It was time for a change. They needed someone who would be a good king on the throne. Someone who would care and take time to listen to the earth people, but still do what they thought was best. Wait! Listen to the_ earth. _An idea struck Zuko so hard that it nearly knocked the breath out of him. It was the right thing and he knew it.

"I have a new proposal." Zuko's voice boomed with new purpose. "I propose that Lady Toph Bei-Fong be named Earth _Queen. _She is stable, and proven in battle. She knows how to make hard decisions and when to ask others for help. Most of all though, she loves the earth, and she listens, really _listens _to the earth. She is perfect for the job. She traveled with the Avatar so she has seen the world and its high points and low points. Toph stood up for what was right against all odds as a mere powerless child. Imagine what good she could do with power as an adult." Toph, who had been quiet, not jockeying for power or trying to assert herself, stood.

"I would be honored." That was all she said. There was no argument. No "I am BORN to be Queen" speech. She said nothing but that it would be an honor, and at that moment, after all the argument that had been heard, it was the perfect thing to say. Zuko looked around. There was a look in the eyes of the men. A respect. An admiration. They saw what Zuko had hoped they 

would. They saw a leader standing tall and confident, but they also saw a girl who would identify with commoners and other world leaders alike. They saw a Queen. The meeting was finished in everyone's mind. Zuko saw that and he knew that Toph, blind little Toph who ran from the power of her family and the ways of court before, would be Queen.

!!

Another vote was cast and counted, and this one offered results. It was a unanimous outcome in favor of a young blind earth bender. Now truly Toph was royalty.

"Friends," Iroh addressed the newly invigorated nobles. "I have one last vote to offer. As you know every nation has a ruler, someone to keep peace and regulate international affairs. Their job is exactly the same whether they be of earth, water, fire or air. However not every nation has a king. It seems unjust to allow rulers who work just as hard for their people to not be of the same status as other rulers. I now vote to put into act a new law to make Chiefs Hakoda and Arnook into joint kings of the Water tribes, making their children Princes and Princesses of course." Iroh finished his proposal. Arguments were heard, and people were angered, but nobody really had a problem with crowning the water chieftains, so thus when it came to vote, it passed unanimously too that it should be so.

The meeting was disbanded to wait for further problems or questions to arise. For now all was solved.

!!

Three months later, after the lavish coronation of the new Earth Queen, Toph approached Iroh. She fiddled with the small bronze thread that she had chosen as a crown.

"Iroh," She started. "Can I ask you a question?" Toph asked tentatively.

"Of course dear." Iroh answered, unchanged in his approach to Toph by her recent elevation.

"How do you deal with it? There are so many courtiers at the palace! All they care about is power and they would do anything to get it. I'm a single Queen, so more men than I can count would lick my feet to be in favor with me. I would swear they're rabid!" Instead of answering the question, Iroh merely looked about. An idea dawned on him and understanding lit his eyes. He became giddy and started to giggle and bounce back and forth on his feet.

"I may get my vacation yet!" He declared to no one in particular and jovially waddled off to find the coordinator of court activities and nobles. Toph stood there wondering what vacation, why Iroh hadn't answered her question and much else besides. She sighed and sat down. It was going to be a long night.

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A/N: first chapter. longer than i expected. review if u want me to continue, because reviews are like kitties. They're nice but when u dont listen to them they get annoying and force u to do something like write another chapter!

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	2. All Grown Up

Disclaimer: Welcome to the second chapter of The Bachelor! Sorry it took so long to get it up. You've probably all been wondering what's up with Iroh's giggling...but you shall soon find out! By the way, are you SPARKLEY?! Hope you enjoy reading!

The Bachelor: F

The Bachelor: F.N.V. Chapter 2

Zuko wandered down the hallways of the empty palace without much of a destination in mind. The palace had been remarkably quiet lately, quieter than it had been since the Fall, as people were now calling it. Zuko had free time, actual free time, and he had no idea how to use it. At first he thought Iroh might use his help, but no. Iroh had been completely caught up in god knows what for the last few days and was thus unavailable. This agitated Zuko for some reason he couldn't name. The Fire-lord-to-be breathed in and out telling himself it didn't bother him that Iroh refused to tell him what he had been up to. The only things he knew were that the director of palace personnel and court activities (whose name was Halie) was deeply involved and that there were several very, very long scrolls that they were going over and over together. The scrolls terrified him even more than the peppy planner did, and nothing frightened Zuko like over zealous party planners. Especially the peppy ones, Zuko shuddered at the thought. He continued down the halls, passing doors that lead to studies, guest rooms, and broom closets. The ornate hallways were somehow calming, and soon Zuko's agitation over being left out gradually gave way to serenity.

Just then a door right in front of Zuko flew open. He had been walking leisurely along not expecting sneak attacks from pieces of wood. With no time to react Zuko walked right into the studded entry blocker and was momentarily stunned and knocked backwards. Pain exploded in his nose cutting his wanderings short.

"Dam it! Ow!" He shouted clutching at his nose. The normally fairly pain-free part of his body flared into sudden life and his eyes watered. He blinked several times to dispel the threatening tears.

"Nephew! I'm sorry! I didn't even see you there!" Iroh, also known as the driving force behind the offending door, seemed far too happy for his apology to be taken seriously.

"It's okay uncle." Zuko's system had settled down from the shock, and he was regaining some feeling in his nose. Iroh was grinning uncontrollably from ear to ear. This made Zuko suspicious. Very, very suspicious. When Iroh was this happy he was usually planning something, and when Iroh was planning something, usually it made more trouble for Zuko.

"Alright, if you say so! I was just coming to find you as a matter of fact! Please we must discuss something, step into my office!" He started to giggle after saying this and the kooky old man was nearly skipping into the room he has just emerged from as Zuko obediently followed him into the dimly lit office.

Iroh waddled around the room opening the heavy curtains on the windows and letting in some good natural light. The sunlight, what gives fire-nation-ers energy, invigorated Zuko and eased the last of the pain from his aching proboscis. He watched his uncle intently as the old bat hummed to himself while shuffling the papers and rolling up the scrolls that had cluttered his desk only moments before.

"Sit, Sit!" He waved to the chairs in the center of the room and without waiting for Zuko to move on his own accord, ushered him hurriedly to one of the waiting chairs. He left a very confused Zuko and started to full out sing as he made some tea. Zuko tried not to cringe.

After he was done, he brought over the cups and poured the tea into the two awaiting vessels. It steamed invitingly. Zuko took his and gently sipped the brownish liquid.

"So uncle what is all this about? The scrolls and Halie were bad enough, but now the smiling is just creepy." Zuko made a face. "Please just tell me so we can get past the secrecy...it's bothering me." Zuko's plea for information was interrupted by a sharp knocking on the door.

"Excuse me, Firelord Iroh;" A disembodied voice stammered "I must speak with you and the Crown Prince Zuko immediately." The message carrier was shouting through the door. Why couldn't people just open the doors like they used to? Iroh doesn't bite... most days... "Tell me where the Prince is and I shall fetch him here." He also declared this through the same wood that Zuko's nose had recently become closely acquainted with. Iroh got up and stalked over to the door, not amused by the fact that his big announcement had been interrupted. He had waited a long time to be able to give this announcement.

"There is no need, private. The Prince is already here." He told the messenger sharply with a wave behind him in Zuko's general direction. He had answered the door, and his friendly smile had vanished. The solider wasn't scared. No, more like terrified. If Iroh was not happy people were afraid, and rightly so.

"Tell us what you have come to say, and be quick about it." Zuko said as he rose. His figure in armor was imposing and also very daunting. It was clearly not the right time to mess with Zuko and the young man with only the mark of a private in the Firenation army started to visibly shake in his boots.

"There is an am-b-b-bas-s-sador here to see y-y-you!"He finally managed to stutter out.

"From..." Iroh pressed him further for information. He was impatient to get this over with.

"Th-the w-w-water t-t-tribes, s-s-s-s-sir!" He saluted still shaking and stuttering. Iroh saw that the boy was completely terrified, and felt slightly guilty. He decided that they had plundered his self-esteem enough for one day.

"Well then, that's good. Come in and have some tea!" Iroh exclaimed. The still shaken and now confused solider entered the room and followed the given instructions. He soon was asleep like a baby thanks to the extra special ingredient Iroh had added to his cup.

"The poor thing was terrified." He explained as Zuko shot him a puzzled look. "I had to do something! I was afraid he was going to pass out or wet himself." Zuko just shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. This was the ruler of the firenation... he felt like smacking his head on a wall.

"Shall we go meet this new ambassador?" Zuko asked. It wasn't really a question though.

"Yes, we shall. But before we do that we must speak to Halie to have the rooms prepared! " The two men, both slightly disappointed with the interruption, (though one happier than the other just in general) left the room. Little did they know that this interruption's creator was someone that they would be more than overjoyed to see again.

!!

After a brief visit with Halie, where Zuko wanted desperately to gouge his eyes out with chopsticks just to get out of it, Iroh settled into his throne behind the wall of imposing fire quickly and efficiently. He lowered the blaze so he could properly see the new emissary, completely ignoring the old traditions. Many of the older members of court who gathered around the throne today shook their heads disapprovingly. Not everyone liked all the changes that had taken place since the Fall. Zuko stood obediently beside the throne look as bored as ever and wondering how soon this would be over. He entertained himself by eyeing the doubting courtiers and making them squirm under his gaze. Zuko didn't really like courtiers or ambassadors for that matter. Most of them were pompous, too proud of their newly found titles to really take the role that they would have to play seriously. That just created more problems for the fledgling government than they already had. That was not good.

A royal caller came into view at the end of the hall sweeping through the double doors as if he himself were the Firelord. Apparently more than just the ambassadors got big heads from a title and a special outfit.

"Now announcing the newest Ambassador of the Water Nation, the Southern Water Tribes first Royal Ambassador."He bowed indicating that he had finished. It was a surprisingly short introduction, nothing like the usual speeches that preceded a new representative from some other nation. Most people present every little detail about themselves. That was just the bare minimum... not even a name. Zuko half expected the little man to keep going, but he didn't. Instead a lone figure swept into the room. There was no envoy of armed guards as there usually was and no blaring trumpets to announce just how important this person thought they were. In fact there was no pomp and ceremony surrounding this person at all. There was an aura though, one that bespoke of power, he needed no envoy of guards to make himself seem powerful.

The figure wore a red robe edged in silver as was customary coloring for ambassadors. The hood was pulled up so that the persons face wasn't visible. Zuko wondered who could be underneath that fold of fabric who would avoid ceremony and also keep themselves hidden until the last moment. Zuko didn't have to wonder for long because just as the figure came to the correct location to bow to the royal family, two mocha brown hands came up and removed the hood. The head that was now exposed took a deep bow and stayed low to the floor amidst all the gasps that came from the various loitering members of the court. No emotion registered on the small part of the face that Zuko and Iroh could see. There were several things that had their attention occupied for the moment though. For starters it was a she underneath that hood, and secondly, she was gorgeous. Her skin was a flawless shade of brown like the color of the finest coffee. Her chocolate colored hair was pinned up into an intricate bun that dominated the back of her head. It was clearly silky and smooth. Her eyes were downcast, exposing the kohl that lined her upper lids. A crier came forward and removed her robe showing her beautiful red gown beneath the outerwear. The cut accented her curvy figure, the silver trim portraying the nation to which she belonged. Nobody dared breathe for a full ten seconds before letting out a sigh in unison of appreciation for such beauty. Zuko's eyes were transfixed by her beauty, and they followed her even as she rose on Iroh's command. Finally her eyes flashed up to meet the royals. They were a piercing blue, the color you would have imagined rain to be had you not known it was clear. They were as vibrant as crystals yet so much fuller of life and movement than a rock could ever be. They locked with Iroh and then Zuko's eyes before falling to the floor again respectfully.

"Welcome to the court of the Fire Nation, my dear." Iroh smiled warmly and the Prince wondered why Iroh was being so friendly with this foreign angel.

"It's a pleasure Fire lord." She answered with another low curtsey her voice was kind and soft. Beautiful.

"Come now! We are past that! It's just Iroh... or Uncle preferably." He added. There was something very familiar about the girl and Iroh certainly seemed to know her... Zuko wondered if there was something he might be missing... She smiled a glittering grin and looked back at Iroh.

"Come now, I demand a hug!" Iroh exclaimed and stood, a peel of laughter rose from the girl.

"Okay, okay Uncle!" She rose again and ascended the stairs until she came to the now standing Iroh who enveloped the girl in a hug. She was still laughing, and seemed happier than anyone else in the room.

"Welcome Katara, four years has changed you so much, yet not at all!" Iroh commented. Wait, Zuko thought. Katara... WAIT... KATARA KATARA?? What did he mean 'Katara'? This couldn't be the same girl, who he had traveled and fought with so much, could it? However the more Zuko looked at her the clearer it became to him. This was 'Tara, the very same 'Tara who had threatened his destiny and whipped his butt repeatedly at bending. It was her, the same one who had healed his scrapes and listened when he had problems. She was the Avatar's old crush, and Sokka's sister. Zuko remembered to shut his now gaping jaw.

"Hey Zuzu!" She exclaimed before throwing herself into his arms. He hugged her back. The released each other and they both stepped back to examine the other.

"What are you doing here Princess 'Tara?" He asked, making a point of her new title.

"Yes... that's right. I am a princess now... so much for water tribe peasant eh?" They both laughed at the nickname Zuko had once used. "But also I'm an ambassador!" She threw up her arms as if to say 'Here I am!' She grinned and she was still beautiful but Zuko now saw his old friend in her. He realized he couldn't have been happier to see anyone.

"AHEM!" A loud and instantly recognizable voice echoed from the other end of the room. "Forgetting something here aren't we?" The sarcastic drawl continued. Katara grinned from ear to ear. There was a mumbled apology then the crier came forward.

"Now announcing..." The man tried only to have a boulder chucked at his head.

"Didn't we have this conversation last time I was here, balloon bum?" The regal figure spat the words at the crier.

"Yes well Your Royal Highness, however it's customary..." He began.

"Then I'll do it myself. I am Queen Toph Bei Fong from the beeping Earth Kingdom." She imitated the crier.

"Come on Toph..." Another familiar voice began.

"A little help, Katara?" Yet another familiar voice came from that general area too.

"Yes... did I mention that I brought Sokka, Aang and Toph with me?" Katara smiled sheepishly at Iroh.

"No... but that's fine my dear!" Iroh exclaimed. "It is like a big reunion. A long overdue reunion too." He added. A grin spread across his face again. The other three visitors mounted the stairs to the stage and joined their old companions.

"Where's Suki?" Zuko asked Sokka noting the absence of Sokka's long-time girlfriend and Kyoshi Warrior.

"She disappeared with a note that said she might be back in a few weeks a week ago." He seemed unconcerned about this development which unnerved Zuko.

"And you're okay with that?" He raised an eyebrow. Katara scowled, she had always wanted to be able to do that...

"Yeah, if she needs some time alone or whatever that's okay. I mean sure I miss her, but I'm not going to stop her or search for her when she made a point of leaving..." He seemed nonchalant, but the members of the now disbanded gAang could tell from months of practice that it did bother him, he was just trying to be aloof.

"So!" Katara interrupted the tense silence that had descended upon the group. "There is one more person I would like to introduce! This is Amir, my... boyfriend." A smile flitted across her face with the last word like there was some private joke everyone was missing except for Amir and her. Something flared to life in Zuko. It was hot and... angry? It felt like he wanted to rip Amir to shreds just for standing that close to Katara.

"It is customary for the royal family to greet their new ambassadors with a dinner; you would all be invited. How about tonight?" Zuko tried desperately to placate the demon struggling to escape from his stomach, he failed.

"Ooo, sorry, I must be off, I am on my way to the North Pole to help rebuild orphan's homes." Amir excused himself. He was charming too, Zuko noted. He was charming, handsome, intelligent, and kind. In other words: perfect. However at the announcement that he was leaving a small cheer arose from Zuko's inner beast.

"I also need to see a master carver about a necklace..." Amir (who now had his arm around Katara's waist) trialed a finger over the nape of her neck where her mother's necklace usually sat. Zuko remembered, that was an engagement necklace! The monster gave a ferocious buck. Katara glowered at Amir before pulling out of his grip.

"Oh that's too bad, is everyone else available?" Zuko tried to sound genuinely disappointed. He failed.

"Actually, nephew, it is you who is not available!" Iroh interrupted, once again grinning.

"What am I doing?" Zuko asked, but the knowing grin only widened across Iroh's features, and Zuko knew a few things: 1) This was bad. 2) This was what the announcement this morning should have been. 3) Iroh wasn't going to tell him what he was doing. 4) This was bad.

!!

"Uncle!" Zuko was annoyed now. "I demand to know what's going on this instant." Zuko had been pampered and preened into perfection. He and a new suit of armor on, and his hair had actually been washed. It was down tonight though, instead of up in the usual top-knot.

"Okay, fine, it's time you knew. I told you that I would take care of the wedding arrangements so that you could take over the throne, correct?" Zuko visibly paled. The beautiful carriage that had taken them to this exquisite mansion, the new clothing, the secrecy, it would explain everything... he was getting married? Iroh picked up on the reasoning behind his nephew's reaction.

"Don't worry nephew. I also stated that it was my wish for you to be happy, did I not? So I have gone through the list of every eligible maiden in the nations and selected 24 to put into one house for you to choose from. To make it even easier on you, Halie and I have arranged dates for you to go on, and every week you will eliminate a certain number of girls, got it?" Iroh smiled, clearly pleased with himself. Zuko paled even further and sank back into the seat he was in. This could not be happening. Simply could not. He didn't have much time to contemplate whether he was asleep or not, because there was a clattering and creaking that signaled a carriage's approach.

"The first six are here!" Iroh announced. Zuko clung to the chair for dear life, but Iroh, good old Iroh, tugged him out of the chair and managed to get him to the front door and in standing position. Zuko tried to look happy as the driver dismounted and unrolled a scroll. He began:

"Ty Lee." The young acrobat bounded out of the carriage wearing a short pink dress.

"Hey Zuzu! You get to date me!" Zuko suppressed a groan. She cart wheeled into the waiting house.

"Bella Swan." A lanky teenage girl dressed in a blue dress got out from the car.

"So what are you? Werewolf? Vampire? Fairy? Merman? " Zuko gave her a blank stare. It was all he could do to hold out his hand politely. She shook his hand and went inside.

"Shada." A short, spunky younger girl leapt from the carriage.

"My name is Smellerbee!" She scowled at the crier and then at Zuko too. He cringed as she went inside without a word.

"Jas." A taller girl done up in a dress that looked like it was made from newsprint dismounted from the carriage.

"OMG, it's YOUUUUU!" She squealed before running into the house. She was going home tonight... Zuko heard another squeal, definitely tonight.

"Ari." A shorter girl dressed in pink and blue tripped out from the vehicle and gawked at the prince.

"SQUEEEEEEEEE! You're taller than I thought! " She shouted before running after the other girls, whose names Zuko had already forgotten.

"Jun." The always stunning Jun jumped form the carriage and appraised Zuko swiftly.

"You've grown up a bit." She commented before strutting into the house, Zuko couldn't help but watch her go. The carriage doors closed, and the driver pulled away.

"Nephew!" Iroh shouted. "How are the girls so far?" He beamed like a proud mother hen watching her youngest grow up.

"I will get my revenge for this..." Zuko muttered. Iroh merely laughed at this before giving a signal to the waiting carriage.

"Have fun!" He shouted as the cart pulled up and the door opened.

A head appeared from the carriage. Her skin was tan, and her head, which was looking down, was covered in softly swirling black locks. Zuko's heart gave an involuntary leap. The green dress she wore swished at her knees as she looked up.

"Jin." Both Zuko and the crier spoke at the same time.

"Lee, huh? Oh well, tea server or prince, it should be fun to get to know you." She winked and walked into the house.

"Ginerva Weasley." A redheaded girl dropped from the carriage gracefully. She carried a stick, which Zuko found highly suspicious.

"Hmm. Slytherin right? Figures. Call me Ginny." She flipped her hair back and walked toward the open doors holding her stick by her side.

"Suki?" A surprised Zuko did the criers job for him.

"Yeah, I got the note from Iroh, and took him up on it. I dunno.. we might have some good times, and it was something different." She hugged him (they were friends who hadn't seen each other in four years), gave a shrug and walked in.

"CaiHin." A short blond girl exited the carriage.

"WHAT THE F-DAVID BLANE!" She shouted before looking around, like she was missing something.

"Hello. I'm Zuko." He tried a new tactic. She giggled before biting her lip and sprinting into the house. There was silence and then loud laughter.

"Essence." A hippy came out of the cart, and started to loudly belt:

"SECRET TUNNEL SECRET TUNNEL THROUGH THE MOUNTIANS SECRET SECRET SECRET SECRET TUNNEL." She finished singing and took a low bow before sweeping off into the house.

"She's a romantic at least." Zuko muttered to himself.

"Lumusi." A girl wearing head to toe sparkles descended from the carriage.

"Hehe, I like sparkles! Are you sparkly?" She asked hope evident in her eyes.

"Yes?" Zuko guessed. He was beyond creeped out.

"YAY!" She flung her arms around him before charging into the house.

Zuko who was stunned into silence merely stood there as Iroh came forward to greet him. He gave him a pat on the back.

"Well at least you'll have options!" Iroh commented jovially. He still wore his large unfaltering smile. Zuko shook his head until he could think clearly again.

"Uncle! Why are you doing this? Couldn't you just have like I don't know; picked one of them, sent us on a few dates, then had us marry?" He desperately looked at his uncle, trying to find some small inkling of compromise in the making there. He didn't.

"This is so much more fun though! Not to mention you get to pick a girl yourself! After all, you do need an heir eventually!" He nudged Zuko in the side just as another black carriage pulled up. Here we go again, Zuko thought. Iroh trotted back to where ever it was he went to watch.

"Cara."

"Hello, I'm Cara, I'm from the Earth Kingdom!" She smiled, and Zuko smiled back. She turned and went inside. Maybe the crazies were gone, Zuko thought.

"Gemma Doyle" A girl jumped from the carriage none to gracefully and flashed a pretty smile.

"Are you Rakshana, or am I wasting my time?" The girl cocked an eyebrow at Zuko.

"Ummm, I couldn't say." Zuko hoped she would buy that.

"Fine, take a vow of silence, but I shall know whether or not you are as soon as I'm back in the realms." She muttered the last part before curtsying and stomping off to the house. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? Zuko wondered.

"Song" Zuko's head snapped up at the name, and a familiar face leapt from the box.

"Hello... Zuko is it?" She asked playfully. She wore a floor length dress to hide her leg but with a slit up one side.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry about that..." Zuko looked down embarrassed.

"It's okay, I forgive you. I'll talk to you inside okay?" She turned and walked to the door.

"Extra 44, aka Tammy"

"Hi! I was in that episode with the Fortune Teller!" She was practically jumping up and down.

"Extra 46- Sammy" With that an identical girl to Tammy hopped from the carriage and raced over to her sister.

"It's really him!" They screamed and ran inside. Zuko tried not to look as uncomfortable as he felt...

"Meng." A girl, clearly younger than Zuko came from the carriage. She touched her shiny smooth hair and giggled like it was something amazing that her hair lay flat.

"Hey!" She cocked a sideways grin and then stumbled into the house.

"Treda" A slim girl in a short blue dress glided out of the carriage. She bowed low.

"Your highness." She mumbled, before backing up into the house without so much as a glance at Zuko. He was so confused...

"Kakama" Her face blurred with the others her greeting unremarkable. Zuko had forgotten her before she was even out of his sight.

"Misa-Misa" Another short blond girl bounced from the car speaking to quickly for Zuko to catch anything. He managed to tell her that he was not Light... which she seemed to think he was before she bounded into the house.

"Ju-Dee" A woman grinning maniacally came next.

"There is no war in Ba Sing Se!" She announced.

"Not any more!" Zuko agreed, her stare was making him sweat. She bowed and went inside. Zuko shivered as he watched her go.

"Odessa and Oni" Two twins got out of the cab.

"Hello we are..."

"Very pleased to meet you." They even finished each other sentences. They were polite at least and might be okay, if separated... the creepy twin thing was just too much. They walked on the same foot at the same pace into the double doors. Zuko watched them go, slightly freaked out. A small coughing noise made him turn back to the girl waiting next.

"Hey. I guess I'm supposed to go inside now?" Mai's familiar drone was a breath of fresh air after the veritable parade of perk and pep he had seen.

"Yeah... I hope we can start again..." Zuko rubbed the beck of his neck.

"Ok. I'm Mai." She held out her hand. Zuko took it and shook.

"Zuko." She left and Iroh came back.

"Now you get to spend time with them! Unfortunately you will send 13 home tonight. Apparently we had one too many... but you get to keep 12 of them!" Zuko gulped. He had to spend time with them??

!!

Zuko's head ached, and his body was stiff. He felt like crying... it was that bad. He looked at the list of girls who were left after the horrid ordeal of an evening:

1. Mai

2. Jin

3. Ty Lee

4. Song

5. Jun

6. Meng

7. Hippy Woman – Essence

8. Ju-dee

9. Smellerbee

10. Suki

11. Odessa

12. Cara

He sighed. It was going to be a long few weeks.

Please review! I promise a speedy update. :)


	3. Headtable

Disclaimer: the small rodents from something I wrote have decided to stop being in the review getting business and go into the disclaimer one:

George the Gerbil: The author of this fic would like to inform you that she owns nothing except for her ocs.

Harold the Hamster: She would like to let you know that she is not and has never been affiliated with Nicktoons Studios, Nickelodeon Studios, or any of the other contributors to Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Marmalade the Mouse: On one last note she is also not and has never been affiliated with The Bachelor or ABC Network in anyway.

Ruben the Rat: and… wait that's it… cheese anyone?

Note: yes this is based off the t.v. show by the same name, hence it is called Fire Nation edition. I have no excuse for the lateness. I'm incredibly sorry. I shall now go shut my fingers in the oven.

**The Bachelor: Fire Nation Version**

Chapter 3: Headtable

Zuko glared daggers into Iroh's down turned head at breakfast the morning two days after his ordeal. He hadn't come to breakfast the morning directly after because he honestly couldn't bring himself to get out of bed. The bags still shown under his eyes and the weary way which he constantly surveyed the room and glanced at the door was beginning to look more like a regular twitch than an innocent scan. The girls were supposed to be confined to the house and surrounding gardens and areas. That meant that they were aloud anywhere in the palace except the royal family's personal quarters (which included the turtle duck pond, to Zuko's eternal thanks also studies and personal dining rooms), the guest quarters and the throne room without express permission. Sadly this was not a personal dining room which meant that any one of the women could come dancing in at any moment. The thought terrified Zuko. That was the reason for his new found twitch.

"Good morning!" A distinctly female voice sang. Zuko almost spit out his spicy eggs, before realizing that it was just Katara. This morning she wore a blue informal garment, it was much like the one she had worn so long ago while she traveled with the avatar. It was a more form fitting and noticeably more feminine.

"Katara! What a lovely surprise! Please sit!" Iroh gestured to an open seat near Toph, Aang and Sokka. She smiled and moved to the other side of the table. She took another open seat, this one right next to Zuko. He was still glaring at his uncle.

"How'd ya sleep sugar-queen?" Toph inquired adding a mocking tone to _queen_.

"Great! Thanks for asking!" Toph shrugged her shoulders, and all went quiet. Iroh removed his eyes from Katara and moved them to his still quietly sulking nephew. Only then did he really notice that Zuko was slicing into him with icy stares.

"I am fire nation and icy stares really don't have any effect on me. I suggest you try a different tactic, maybe then you would have more luck. Or maybe you should stop thinking about this like a punishment. If you do, it might just stop being one…" Iroh trailed off. He glanced hopefully at Zuko.

"Humph." Zuko seemed to brush off his words with indifference, but Iroh could tell he had listened.

"I'll do some dirty work, if you don't mind. I'm a girl, and they're more apt to trust me. I can spend some time with them, I know what you like." Katara offered her feminine services and then winked at Zuko. Several jaws dropped. Including Zuko's.

"Thanks." He smiled. They had grown closer at the end of the war, and he was happy to see that their relationship was still intact. She would be very helpful indeed. Zuko thought. Breakfast continued and nothing much happened. It was quiet, though there was conversation. They spoke of the weather and upcoming holidays. They talked about plans to stay and plans to go. Politics of course arose, but there was no argument, only a lot of sarcasm. It was not like old days, but it was closer. Just more mature maybe. As the food disappeared and the people started to mumble about things to do and people to see Katara turned to Zuko.

"Do you think it might be possible to eat dinner in your study with you? Until make some allies at court and whatever. It would also be an excellent time for me to debrief you on my findings." She gave him a hopeful beaming look.

"Sure!" He agreed. It would be good to talk to someone who was earth bound after all those air-head girls.

Iroh and Zuko were walking down the hall to the throne room the next day. Dinner the night before had been a quiet affair. Not much was said, but then again there was never a need for incessant chatter with just Katara and Zuko. It was perfect in its quiet way.

"So we have decided to set you up on dates, nephew!" Iroh announced with mirth. "You will go on one with every girl this week and every week! Of course they will not be individual until much later so, group dates it is!" Zuko would have tried to fight it, but he was too much wrapped up in the potential horrors of the new suggestion from Iroh to even give a response.

"I see you are too happy to speak! That's good because your first one is today!" The joy in Iroh's eyes was unmistakable. Zuko could merely face-palm in response. As looked into Iroh's eyes preparing to fight this with every ounce of his power, he saw the happiness there and gave up. No use fighting the inevitable. He shuddered. The inevitable had too many sparkles to not be shuddered at.

Katara laughed when she heard that he was going on his first date. The delicate shudder that had accompanied it made her laugh even harder. Zuko had merely scowled. He found nothing amusing about his perpetual torture in the form of glitter and tulle. He had crossed his arms and waited for her paroxysm to stop. He waited a while.

Eventually though, she did calm down enough to have a decent conversation with him. Iroh had told him very little about what they were supposed to _do _on these group dates. Katara had expressed curiosity on how 'group dating' worked, and Zuko promised to debrief her after the events. With that Iroh had stormed in and dragged him out of the room, though the doors and into a room with six blushing girls anxiously fidgeting under his gaze.

Zuko gave a completely audible gulp and felt a few nervous sweat drops accumulate on his brow. He pulled at his collar and looked into the delicate faces of Jun, Essence, Smellerbee and Odessa. Song was there too and he smiled easily at her. He then turned his attention to the other ladies at hand and tried to grin, ending up with more of a grimace. They all beamed back with exaggerates smiles and flirtatious gestures. He counted again though, and realized that there were only five faces. AS the confused look crossed his face, and he brought his fingers up to count, he heard a subtle cough. He whipped around to look behind him where Mai stood in the door way. She leaned casually against the molding, looking a tad bit less blasé than usual. This was sort of new to her too after all. Iroh cocked his head slightly at the interaction but said nothing as she sauntered over to the other girls. He then cleared his throat and the entire room looked over at him.

"Good day everyone! I'm so happy to have you here, and without further ado let's to the carriages and get to our event!" There were exited squeals and a general rush to the door leaving Zuko confused. Song walked up beside him and gave him a gentle smile.

"You have no idea what's going on do you?" She inquired, but there was no judgment in it.

"No." Zuko answered.

"Would you like an explanation?"

"Sure." Song then launched into a rather lengthy story that took them all the way to the carriages.

_It was early at the house that the girls lived at. All together. Under one roof. The first package arrived in the morning as breakfast was being served. Jin had brought it in, and opened the nondescript box to find a card and a few other seemingly random objects. One by one she pulled a train conductor's whistle, a snow globe, and a knit hat from the basket. She then brought the stiff paper out and unfolded the royal seal to display a message:_

_Dear Mai, Song, Essence, Jun, Odessa, and Smellerbee, _

_It is a bird? A plane? Maybe a train? No! It's a fire prince! _

_Come with me for a day of scenic travel and breath- taking vistas. _

_Maybe you'll take my breath away during some alone time on top _

_Of the national park Snow Mountain or during the train ride to get there!_

_See you soon for some good old-fashioned get to know each other time!_

_The Prince of Your Heart, Zuko _

_The girls had been overjoyed at the prospect of a ride up the only mountain high enough to have snow in the general area of the capitol city! _

Zuko nodded in comprehension as she finished her story. Iroh had rejoined them by this time and was helping Song into the carriage with the other girls. Once she was situated he turned to Zuko and gave a suggestive eyebrow waggle which Zuko instantly disregarded.

"Try to be nice." Iroh smiled and brought him up to the other carriage where he would ride alone. At least he could escape them for the time being. Thank Agni. Zuko found himself wondering what the survival rate for jumping from a moving train on top of the highest mountain to be found would be. He hoped it was fairly low.

There was no question that it was beautiful. The one and only mountain that was not volcanic in the area towered above them blocking the sun out from the sky. It was lush and green like the rest of the fire nation, but with the hidden mystery of snow behind the clouds awaiting the adventurer. Zuko boarded the train last, heading toward the giggles and gentle talking coming from the main compartment. There were several smaller rooms on the way which were obviously incase he wanted to talk to any of the girls privately. He snorted a little at the thought.

Was there no end to the anecdotes? Zuko thought as Essence launched into her sixth story about something. She was speaking so rapidly Zuko only caught every few words.

"…flowers…. Guitar…. Buttons… WITH A BUCKET!" The girls who were listening rolled with laughter as the story finished. Zuko vaguely wondered what it had been about and decided he'd really rather not know. He walked over to the food that had been laid for them and looked over the fair before deciding for the umpteenth time that he was indeed _not_ hungry. There was a soft giggle from directly behind him and he looked down and caught a glimpse of a gentle pink, knee length dress. He followed the fabric up until he was face to face with Song. She smiled again.

"Hi." She said and cringed at Odessa's laughter shot through the room. She was clearly uncomfortable.

"Would you like to talk somewhere a little, maybe, quieter?" Zuko asked without thinking. She blushed and bobbed her head in agreement. They quietly walked from the main cabin, causing quite the reaction, out onto the deck. The wind blew at their hair and cloths refreshing Zuko's sleepy mind set.

Not much was said in the time, just little pleasantries. _Are you enjoying yourself? Yes, immensely. Have you ever been to the summit? Yes my mother took me when I was young often _etcetera. Mostly though the time was passed in silence. There was something very comfortable about it though. Eventually it got too cold to be out and they returned much to Zuko's regret.

The train did eventually stop though and the girls piled out, each eager to be the one who spent time with Zuko next. They attended a wine tasting where Smellerbee sulked in a corner and Odessa threw herself all over Zuko. They took walks and viewed the mountains in all their splendor. Overall Zuko was miserable and cranky and just wanted to be home, but Song and Mai were at least reprieves. Smellerbee was fun to talk to for short times, though she was not in the best of moods. (She didn't like heights.)

Then the highlight of the trip occurred. They gave out very warm clothing, and sent them out onto the peak where there was snow to be played in. Zuko wandered among the strange landscape so foreign to him and imagined what it must be like to live in a place like this…

That's when he ran into Mai. She too was pondering the beauty of the icy landscape.

"Hey Mai. Do you want to take a walk with me? Just over to the viewing area." He gestured to the platform across the mountain side. He watched her face and saw her prepare to give a snippy refusal, but reconsider at the last moment.

"Ok. Sure. Why not?" She gave a shrug and pushed through the snow. She wore a black long sleeve shirt that cut off higher than most above her breeches. A small sliver of skin was visible where they did not quite connect. Her pants were black as well, the boots they slid into the same gloomy shade. However a bright red scarf wrapped around her neck and it matched her hat and fingerless gloves too. Overall it was pleasing to watch her sleek form among the stark contrast of the glittering snow. Her eyes met his as he took the scene in. She blushed adding that much more color to her outfit. Zuko grinned.

"How do you like the snow?" He inquired as they moved on.

"Surprisingly much. There is something about its austere beauty that is very pleasing." She remarked and Zuko was even more astonished to realize that they agreed on it.

"Me too." She flicked a startled glance back at him, but showed no other emotion. He made a mental note of her preference for the snow. Their conversation continued in much the same way as the day progressed.

On the way home he pulled Jun aside and chatted about how her Shir Shu was doing, and about general care of such a large animal. Apparently her aunt was taking care of it for her…

Zuko walked into his study and over to his desk where Katara sat with dinner still steaming in front of her waiting. He looked pale and tired. He plopped into his chair and she grinned at him.

"Sooooo how was it?" She asked with a hint of amusement. Zuko merely smacked his head down onto the table and stayed there. Katara gave a good natured chuckle and laid a hand on his down turned head.

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad, I mean at least you were on a train seeing a beautiful mountain, and you must have dragged some enjoyment out of it." She smiled and removed her hand as he picked up his head, set his chin on the table, looked her square in the eye and then cocked an eyebrow.

"You sure about that?" He asked her. She sighed and put her head on the table so it was level with his.

"Yes." She didn't smile or laugh. She was serious and he saw that. "You find the good in people Zuko, and in tough situations too. It's a unique talent and you shouldn't disregard it. Try to look for the positive in this situation. Try being nice, maybe give a girl a flower or something. Iroh wants you to be happy" She looked away from his gaze for a second before meeting it again. "I want you to be happy too." With that they both picked their heads up and dragged the full plates of food between them.

"Thanks Kat. You always did know just what to say." He smiled, and she smiled back before flicking a small black mushroom square at his nose. It left a sticky streak, which made Zuko angry. Very angry.

"Uncle…….." Zuko looked at the overly happy figure who was leaning strangely over his sleeping form. Why was his uncle in his bedroom, and why, oh why, did he have his GUESS WHAT!!!!! face on… Sadly Zuko knew the answer. Before Iroh could even speak he groaned and pulled a pillow over his head.

"Nephew!!!!" He trilled. "Time to get up, the ladies are already awake and have received the following note from you!

_Dear Suki, Jin, Ty Lee, Meng, Ju-dee and Cara, _

_Do you like games? Maybe you are a player? A good ball handler? _

_Then you'll love our outing today! A day in the park complete with Prince. _

_Sports not for you? Then the extensive gardens and beautiful picnic are for you!_

_None of that appealing? Well, then you'll simply have to enjoy the scenery and _

_We're not only talking about Prince Zuko here!_

_ Get ready to play! – Your Prince, Zuko_

Zuko groaned. Seriously, why did they ask Iroh to write the notes… WHY?

"I guess I have to go then, they are expecting me there to look at." He glared at Iroh.

"That would be appreciated." Iroh beamed. "They are already waiting so get going!" And with that he yanked the sheet off the bottom of the bed sending Zuko flying off the bed and into the wall. He attempted to get up but only succeeded in hitting his head with the lamp he was using to support him and falling all over again. Oh today would be barrels of fun. (as long as you defined barrels as medieval torture devices and fun as screams of pain).

They arrived at the park on the city limits. It was called Sakura Park, for the beautiful trees that filled its interior. The sweet scent of cherry blossoms filled the air and the sun shone down on the just dry grass making then gleam like emeralds dotting a young earth nation bride's hair. The girls let out shrieks of laughter and ran (or cart wheeled) out onto the lawn. Zuko smiled to himself. Who wouldn't enjoy this?

Soon that smile faded though as the girls settled in. Meng chose to be alone mostly and apparently Ju-dee _really _liked to laugh. This was going to be another long day. As Zuko sulked he failed to notice that his path lead directly to a young girl, dressed in short lime colored breeches and a long sleeves green tee. Her hair was pulled up behind her head in its usual disarray. She was busy wandering among the falling blossoms to notice him either. In fact neither noticed the other until their shoulders met and they collided.

"Jin! I'm sorry!" Zuko apologized. She merely laughed.

"No problem!" She waved her hand in acceptance. "I get ran into all the time. I tend to be off in my own world, ya know?" She smiled at him.

"I know exactly what you mean." He agreed. "The blossoms are so beautiful." He added, gesturing to the tree that enveloped them in its rosy glow.

"They are!" She agreed. They lapsed into silence as they had nothing left to say.

"I love being outdoors." Jin added, and Zuko grunted in agreement. He impulsively took a blossom from the branch and tucked it into her hair behind her ear. "Thanks." She blushed at his actions but quickly removed the flower, discreetly dropping it, before turning away. She was still sore from their last relationship.

"I'm gonna… um.. go.. now…" Zuko stuttered and then bolted from the cover of the tree. That had been a bad idea. God. Where was Katara when you actually _needed _her?

A game had been initiated among the girls that was called sucker or soccer or something like that… Zuko wasn't sure. It had been decided that the winning girl would get alone time with him. It had obviously come down to Suki and Ty Lee, and Suki had obviously given up, letting the pink clad acrobat win. She had twirled over to Zuko and sat down next to him.

"Hey ya!" She sang plopping down next to him. Her hair swung free, not braided today, and her usual attire was mostly the same with a more casual twist.

"Congratulations." He bobbed his head.

"Thanks!" She beamed. "It's not as much fun as a trapeze, but you can't always be flying through the air over burning nets…" She shrugged and Zuko laughed. It felt good to be around her at least. Even if she was a little… well… peppy.

That night Katara was met with two head smacks and a rather convincing sob when asked if there was anyone he liked yet. Somehow Katara thought she should be worried, yet somehow she wasn't. Only amused. Very, very, amused. But as Zuko's head did not pick up, Katara began to feel the same gnawing feeling that she always got when one of the gAang was in trouble. A frown crawled across her delicate features, and her brow furrowed. She got up from her position across the table and came at leaned against the table beside him.

"Zuko, are you sure that this is okay. We're not trying to kill you here, or even make you miserable." He looked up into her blue piercing eyes, and sighed.

"I don't know. Some of the girls are nice. Some of them are not. I just… I don't love any of them, and while I could see maybe feeling something for them in the future, the idea of asking one of them to marry me in a matter of weeks, seems impossible." He threw his hands into the air.

"Take it one day at a time. First you have to eliminate two of them, how are you feeling?"

"I know which two I want to go, but how do I do it without, I don't know, hurting them?"

"Quick like ripping off a band-aid."

"You take yours off quick?"

"Yeah, you don't"

"Slow and steady wins the race…."

"Seriously? You believe that? Only stupid people who sleep too much loose the race!"

"This coming from the one who does not rise with the sun?" …. And it kept on going….

ELIMINATION:

The girls filled in and Iroh took on a somber expression.

"Whenever you're ready Zuko." Iroh said and backed away. Zuko took up one stem from the bundle of fire roses and looked up at the girls. _Quick like ripping off a band-aid! _ Katara's advice rang in his ears.

"Ok. Well, I guess I'll start with Mai. Would you accept this rose?" He asked the dark teen.

"yes." She mumbled and took the stem. Stepping back. Next he called Jin, who also accepted. It continued in much the same manner. At the end of the night Odessa and Cara went home, having made no positive impression whatsoever.

The Bachelor- Fire Nation Edition

Who will stay?

Who will win?

And Who will go home broken hearted?

Find out next time on

THE BACHELOR!

* * *

WAHOOOO if u review i will officailly worhsip you. if u dont i shall send the disclaimer rodents after you on facebook. :?P


	4. Shall We Dance?

Disclaimer: avatar is over. But I still don't own it. And I lay no claim to it or to The Bachelor the show put on by ABC. I claim no affiliation. Ahahaha I love disclaimers they always sound like we know what we're talking about!

Note: yes this is based off the t.v. show by the same name, hence it is called Fire Nation Version. I have no excuse for the lateness. Really if ur still reading this, its amazing. Im sorry.  ONWARD!

**The Bachelor: Fire Nation Version**

Chapter 4: Shall We Dance?

It was the next morning when the maids learned how to take oatmeal out of satin curtains. The night before they had learned how to take horrid stains out of carpets. Iroh sighed. When his nephew was the fire lord, they were going to have to hire some very good cleaners. He doubted the current staffing would be able to keep up with the destructive rampage. Iroh rubbed his temples. The oatmeal really wasn't Zuko's fault… He was just clumsy… and those curtains really are ridiculously long… Iroh made a mental note to have the customary curtains shortened for his nephew's comfort. Luckily for Iroh, Zuko would be out in short order, and onto his next set of dates. As he was musing over the bothersome issues of his nephew's failing love life, Katara walked up behind Iroh without him noticing.

"Good morning! How bad is it?" Her voice startled him and Iroh gave a small jump.

"OH!" he chuckled slightly "well it could be worse, it really isn't that bad, and the draperies were looking run down as is. They needed to be replaced. Out with the old in with the new!"

Katara laughed. "May I take a look? Remember, I traveled with three boys. And I heal. Trust me. Once you have to get seal blood out of white polar bear fur, nothing seems like a bad stain." She gave a dazzling smile and slipped into the room when he nodded his consent.

"How does it look, my dear?" Iroh called. There was no response but a few minutes past, and then a line of ladies walked out, one holding a bowl of water, the other a bowl full of completely dry oatmeal. Katara followed at the rear, closing the door behind her.

"You can't even tell." She informed him inclining her head to the side and smiling a little.

"Thank you my dear…" Iroh trailed off. Maybe they should just hire a waterbender. It seemed so much easier…

"No problem, but now I have to go negotiate bilateral trade embargos on those islands which do not support multinational troops." Iroh blinked a few times, dam that girl can multitask… he thought. "Bye Uncle." She kissed his cheek and gracefully turned to walk to the meeting room where scores of stuffy old men awaited the young ambassador.

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Zuko was already in a fairly bad mood. That morning he had been woken by an overly cheery woman holding a tray of oatmeal. That in itself was slightly terrifying, but then the prince picked the note on the tray up. It informed him in his uncles neat but curly writing that he would have another date today with a group of women. Four of them to be exact. He had been so absorbed that when the servant cleared her throat to alert the prince to the waiting food, Zuko had nearly jumped out of his skin, hitting the tray and sending the bowl flying. It neatly landed on her head and conveniently sprayed oatmeal over the entirety of his room, the servant, and the note which now looked like gibberish.

The servant, rightly terrified, bolted from the room, running through the halls screaming something unintelligible about oatmeal, Zuko, and very sticky. Eventually she _was_ apprehended, and promptly cleaned, calmed and questioned. Then Iroh was called.

Zuko had already cleaned himself, obviously, but his room was in utter disarray. This job fell to Iroh, the only one who was brave enough to berate Zuko for his unreasonable attitude about the whole affair. He had immediately called for Katara to calm his nerves, but she has replied that she could only stop by for a couple minutes on the way to her meeting, which she had, but no such luck for her comforting the upset teen boy; she simply didn't have the time. Meanwhile he had gone to sulk in the gardens until it was time for his ordeal. That's where the angry prince sat until Katara had finished her quite productive meeting.

As she came from the meeting she spotted Zuko sitting on the bench. She gently walked along the path, careful not to make any noise. Her fingers flew in small simplistic patterns, raising a tiny water whip that rose to the back of Zuko's neck. Lightly she touched the base of his skull, and slowly pushed harder until a drip formed and ran down the back of his shirt.

"AHHHH!" he cried leaping up.

"Good-morning!" She trilled twirling into view and kissing Zuko's cheek. "And how are you? Not too good? Well no matter, because you don't really get a choice in what you're doing today," She seemed very very very happy today. "ready?" She spoke too quickly for Zuko to get in a word, keeping an enormous smile on her face.

"What did you snort this morning? Fruit loops?" He quirked an eyebrow regarding his usually composed companion.

"Oh come on, you'll like it, these girls are the cream of the crop." Katara winked. "Hand selected!" She shot him another dazzling smile. Zuko was seriously worried at this point. The manic gleam in her eye and unusually large smile lead him to conclude that she had finally lost it.

"You seem to be in a strangely good mood today Kat. Everything alright?" He put a hand on her shoulder, oddly close, but not uncomfortable. Katara smiled one of her secretive smiles, Zuko remembered those well from the times they had spent together, half forgotten moonlit talks between the only two true adults in the group. Or at least the only two who were alone. It was like a past friendship come back in small ways, once intimately familiar, now only a vague recollection. She calmed slightly.

"Yes, I'm actually fantastic. Very good meeting." Once again, that rare smile. Zuko realized he missed it.

"Would you care to elaborate?" He inquired quirking an eyebrow curiously. She laughed a little, smiling.

"Nope!" Kat twisted out from under his hand like the water she so adored, fluid and graceful. "And anyway, you have no time for stories! You must get ready!" Her grin turned maniacal again. Zuko paled.

"At least tell me what I'm being subjected to!" He cried and she began to push at his shoulders in the direction of his now stainless quarters.

"Not a chance! But I will tell you that on the date, you will be accompanied by Meng, Ju-dee, Smellerbee," Zuko was now visibly quaking. "and Mai." Katara gave a small, sad smile at the last name. It became sadder still as Zuko calmed significantly, however not even she could tell you why there was such a profound note of sorrow in her expression. Zuko, of course, missed this exchange on her face entirely due to the fact that he was at the moment turned around and being mercilessly pushed towards his awaiting butlers. He could only groan.

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The doors to Zuko's room clicked closed and the attendants immediately set to their (somewhat dangerous) work. Outside the reinforced entrance Katara stood, suddenly much more sober than she had been with Zuko. Her gaze lingered on the doors a moment longer, and then it turned to the small, and now exceedingly crumpled piece of paper in her hand. She should be happier, exited. Thrilled even. She should truly feel like she had just acted. Yet she felt none of those emotions. Instead she felt the bottoming out sensation of apprehensiveness and even slightly violated by the familiar greetings and wishes in the note. She felt a longing for it to be gone, and a longing for her mother's necklace, the familiar weight on her throat. But she had made a promise. And it she would keep.

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Iroh too had watched the exchange with some interest, the young people's intrigues were far more meaningful in his old age. He too knew the contents of the note, though completely by accident had he found out. He had thought Katara would be thrilled, simply ecstatic but he too now understood. A small crease graced his brow, giving him a petulant, upset look. It would come out in the end, Iroh knew, but he wondered (and this was truly without answer) what would happen. It concerned him greatly. He hoped he would not regret his actions, though it seemed as though it would be inevitable. It seemed that old age had not made him entirely wise.

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Zuko felt the gentle throbbing behind his temples begin and he approached the rendezvous point. He was too meet his four 'lovely' dates for the night there and then apparently he was supposed to get into a car with them and let the driver take them where he would. Super.

The butlers had shoved him into his best set of robes, making sure everything was entirely perfect. Not a crease out of place or a button loose. His shoes were remarkably shiny and his hair had been teased and styled by a woman who honestly looked like she wanted to be killing and eating small animals. Not doing Zuko's hair. It seemed as though the process would take forever, and with the amount of grime and dirt on Zuko's skin it might well have. Sadly for the rather determined servant, and very luckily for Zuko, Iroh intervened, and pulled his nephew out of the tub. And that it how they found themselves walking towards the gates of the family quarters.

"So are you finally excited for the date?" Iroh inquired, his cheek-splitting smile never faltering.

Zuko sighed and turned to look directly at Iroh, "I have decided to give it an honest effort." The two men were walking side by side down one of the main hallways in the palace, heading for the gates to the grounds. "What the hell. Though I'm not exactly happy."

"This is excellent news!" Iroh beamed, his face gleaming with pleasure. "You are making a wise choice, my nephew. The strongest blossom always blooms in the most adversity!" He rounded the last corner and came to stand in front of a parked carriage. There was another carriage parked a short distance from them down the path that lead to the road. Zuko gulped. Please let them not be quite as insane as they had been on previous occasion. He didn't think that he could take much more of it. But there was some small part of his mind, not quite as quiet as he might have liked, that was excited about this opportunity.

"Well, this is where I take my leave. The girls know what is happening. They are to go into the carriage and you will join then in the other carriage after all four have come out. The driver has his instructions." Iroh offered Zuko a pat on the back and waddled off down the path muttering something about tea and dumplings and rubbing his stomach appreciatively.

Zuko did briefly consider running like hell and maybe hiding in the woods for a few years. He could totally do it. But someone he knew that they would find him. Resistance was futile. And the girls were here anyway.

Ju-dee came first. Her smile was as always far too large for her face and tonight it was accented with dark lipstick making it stand out even more. She wore a low cut, light green satin dress that accented her full figure. She looked good…. Kinda.

"Evening." Zuko smiled at her.

"So nice to go to nice places when there is no war!" She chirped. Okay. Something HAD to be done about that….. She continued on to the carriage down the path, disappearing into its great depths.

Next to come was Smellerbee. There was no headband. And rather more shockingly, comparatively little dirt! She wore a dark blue ground length gown with red accents.

"Hi." She waved and cracked a small smile. Zuko smiled and waved back. And she left. Well that had been unexpectedly painless.

Meng was next. She gracelessly hopped from the carriage, her now silky smooth hair bouncing ever so slightly. Her dress was dark pink satin, single shoulder, and bound in an empire waist with a thin ribbon. The skirt swirled lightly around her body.

"You look very pretty tonight." Zuko bowed his head slightly, complimenting her. She blushed and muttered a thank you before tucking her hair behind her ear and shuffling down the path. Now Zuko turned his full attention to the door. He knew who the last girl to come out would be, she was the only one left after all and it was her that he was looking forward to seeing the most. Usually her dower robes hid very effectively the figure that Zuko knew she had. But Zuko also knew Iroh and he wouldn't let her out of the palace in anything that remotely resembled her usual ensemble of black, black and other Goth colors. Such as black. And even as he thought her name, Mai stepped from the carriage. Damn. Iroh was _good_. Mai was in a dropped waist black dress that switched to long ruffles just below the top of her thighs. The top was corseted all the way down, black ribbons as the structural cover. A pattern of red flowers bloomed along the bottom right of her hip, and later morphed into a dragon that wound its way up her side and stomach. She looked stunning.

"You look exceptional." He smiled.

"You don't clean up half bad yourself." It was difficult to tell whether or not she was kidding actually.

"Shall we go?" He asked. She merely grunted and shrugged, then moved toward the awaiting vehicle.

As it turned out they were going to be attending a show at the theater. The performance was good. The signing- top notch, and the story line – unpredictable. The girls seemed to love it, and even Smellerbee, who found her home in the fight scenes that popped up every so often, was having a good time. (She would never have admitted it, not even to Longshot, but she liked the harmonies and the music too) Meng was entranced, her large brown eyes shining brilliantly in the shifting light. Judee was unchanged…. But at least she looked happy! Mai had been silent. She did not smile (which was no surprise) and she barely moved from the time that they entered the theater. Zuko did absentmindedly wonder whether or not she was enjoying herself, but was quickly caught back up in the plot line and he filed it away to be addressed later. It was about half way through the performance that Zuko unconsciously slipped his hand into Mai's, who happened to be sitting to his right. She gave a slight start before closing her hand around his as well.

After the performance, which included a standing ovation, Zuko and his guests were invited to a gathering of the theatre patrons and actors. Drinks were served and a good time was had by all. As the sun set and the air finally cooled off to a reasonable point, Zuko found himself glancing around the room. He went over and gently tapped Mai's elbow, proceeding to lead her from the well-lit room out to the balcony, illuminated only by the twilight.

"Did you enjoy the show?" He asked, leaning on the railing.

"Yeah. I guess." She shrugged, not really looking at him.

"I thought it was great. There really is an amazing amount of culture in the fire nation that we seemed to miss in the war." He remarked, attempting to make conversation.

"But you will fix that. As fire lord. As is right." She gave a tight smile, ghosting a finger along his jaw line and floated from the balcony back into the bustling room leaving a confused Zuko to stare into the night.

It was late though, and soon the merry party broke up, moving their separate ways. The carriage ride was nearly silent. Meng had fallen asleep and Smellerbee was fingering the red ribbon that had been wrapped around her neck earlier. Mai simply stared out the window. It might have been peaceful. But something was amiss.

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Apparently Iroh did not quite comprehend the idea of sleep. Yes sleep. The dormant period when you mind is inactive and your body recharges? Not so much. The next day, bright and early, Iroh sent in the one person who could drive Zuko out of bed every time. Tom-Tom. He was Mai's little brother and _could be_ a handful. In years past the gAang had encountered him in Omashu and ever since then he had only worsened. He had learned to walk better, and to speak too. It was a miracle that anybody in the palace managed to sleep at all.

Zuko's first clue was a sharp pain in his scalp. Once, twice and again. That was enough for him, what WAS on his head? His hand flew up, only to smack himself. A shrieking giggle erupted and there was the pitter patter of little feet.

"And what are you doing here Tom-Tom?" Zuko inquired of the little child whose shirt he now held. He laughed again and attempted to twist out of Zuko's hold. Zuko swung him up and around onto his back and walked to the doors of his room where Iroh stood, diplomatically attempting to hide his laughter.

"I needed you up!" He explained. "You were once like this too Zuko. Why there was this one time…" Zuko slapped his hand over Iroh's mouth.

"Why am I awake again?" He inquired, removing his hand.

"Well there is a lovely young lady who is awaiting your arm for a day of FUN!" Iroh was smiling again. For the second time that week he couldn't help but think, Super.

"Alright. Well I'll see you later then, like six-ish right?"

"Wrong! This one is a lunch date and afternoon of FUN. (which I might add you will have)" Iroh grinned. "So get ready now." Zuko's eye twitched. Day. Of. Fun. At this point he honestly wanted to cry.

"So I'm assuming it's the others that I didn't take on the other date?" Zuko was already moving back into his room, not bothering to shut his door.

"Nope. As a matter of fact there is only one companion for you today and you'll be wandering around the Flea Market at the center of town. Have fun son!" He smiled and trotted off from his room leaving Zuko to dress himself for his day-o-enjoyment. Tom-Tom after a time, toddled out of the room, presumably on his own missions.

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Zuko was only mildly surprised by Iroh's choice of date. Ty Lee did always seem like the happy type and even Zuko was not so blind as to not see his own dower attitude lately. She was bubbly and bright and would be entertaining for the afternoon. They would be sent out with only one guard (not that they really even needed that) and given access to the royal coffers. They were instructed to eat lunch, behave and return before evening. And so once given their marching orders the two young adults set out on their own to make something of the day.

Ty Lee was dressed in a long pink skirt that floated about her ankles and a white shirt that exposed her belly button, which curiously seemed to glint in the sunlight. Her outfit, as always, matched her mood, happy and light. She darted between the stalls picking up this and that and playing with the small pieces of jewelry. At one point they even stopped and demonstrated the uses of various swords in a public display. There were acrobats and performers, dancers and jugglers, wandering the streets and making it seemed as though there was no end to the color and amusement that leaked from the crowd.

Much to Zuko's shock, he found himself laughing at the antics of the slightly crazy brunette. Her smile seemed infectious and her laughter, barely contained. It was almost pleasant. At one vendor's stall she danced with a long blue scarf made out of a fabric that shimmered and when the light struck it just right, you could nearly see through it. As she twisted and turned and spun and flipped, Zuko couldn't help but be reminded of water.

As the afternoon wore on they stopped for lunch, grabbing something that was steaming hot and fresh from a fryer off a cart. They found a bench and Ty Lee curled up beside him as they watched the people move in their intricate dance. The old women haggled for their weekly food and small children begged sweets off the food carts.

"Mmmmm this is actually really good!" Ty Lee exclaimed after taking a few bites of the veggie and meat dish. She seemed genuinely surprised.

Zuko laughed "What were you expecting?" He looked down at his date for the day.

"Well at the circus we were fed by royal cooks and the peasant food always looked so… uck… but really its kinda good!" Zuko smiled down at her, but inside he felt a tad bit off put. He stored this fact away for later consideration as well. This was getting to be a bad habit.

The sun continuously descended lower in the sky until it was getting to be slightly orange, and the two of them headed back to the palace. Zuko was absolutely exhausted and somehow the pink wonder was still bouncing and alive. He went back to his room and crashed, effectively removing Iroh's plans for his evening.

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There was little delay between the two dates and the next day Zuko had a very polite butler knocking at his door at what he thought was an ungodly hour. Sadly it was roughly noon and it was more than time for him to be awake. The note contained a basic amount of information on his day. He apparently had a very important meeting to discuss the newly arrived ambassadors and to plan the ball that was to be held later this week for the many members of royalty that were curiously visiting the court all at the same time. It took Zuko a moment to remember that Toph, Sokka and Katara were all considered royalty now and Aang was, as he had always been, the Avatar. The last piece of the note was information on his date for the day. Apparently it was his second mass group date for this week and consequently there was not much he could do flexibility wise, his day was scheduled down to the twentieth of a second. Luckily for him, it was an evening date, meaning there was a chance it was going to be mercifully short. Maybe.

The meeting was fairly uneventful. There wasn't much that was actually up to him. He did have to truly think about how to treat the veritable deluge of ambassadors they had been receiving lately and he paid attention to the party plans, most of which had fallen to none other than Katara herself, though it was partially in honor of her. She was completely cool talking in front of the Fire Elders; she sipped at her tea and sat on her silk cushions, her skirt pooling around her as she gently smiled. She was fantastic at it. She played the court like it was simply a game of cards.

There were four more happy faces beaming on the hill as Zuko walked gracefully up the dirt path. There had been separate transportation tonight for the girls and for him. They had both been brought up into the hills on the south side of the city and dropped at a large clearing, which fell away on one side down a steep slope, revealing a beautiful view of the artists' village at night. It was a riot of color and a burst of life churning and bustling in an irregular rhythm. The lamps fluoresced all colors of the rainbow and it seemed as though this was the garden of the gods, the flowers glowing and bobbing in time with the rhythm of life below. There were candles littering the clearing as well and a small band set up on the side, nearly sitting in the thick wood that surrounded them on all sides. Jin, Essence, Suki, and Jun waited for him at the top of the hill wearing shorter, puffier dresses than normal. Clearly the aim of the night was more light and fun than the previous group date of that week.

"Hi everyone." Zuko nodded and smiled to each of the girls. He wondered what was in store for the group. There was a brief rustling noise and then a group of men came out of a path on the other side of the clearing. Zuko identified them all with ease. Haru, Hanh and Chan moved from the grass to Zuko's side.

"Tonight we will be dancing in the open air, however due to the fact that there is only one fire prince and four lovely ladies, we have supplied three other men for your company." Haru explained. "I am Haru and a commander in earth kingdom army."

"I am Hanh and I am also a commander, but in the water tribe's forces." The second man bowed. Zuko was reminded that he once had been engaged to a Princess Yue, but that she had died. Sokka mentioned it once, but seemed not to like to talk about it. No one had brought it up again.

"I am Chan." The last boy bowed, he was dressed in red. "And I am a member of the fire nation nobility." He was this, but the reason that Zuko knew him was that he had trashed his house after a party once… Zuko hoped he'd gotten over that one…

"Thank you very much gentlemen." Zuko bowed to them. He then walked up to Suki who was at the end of the line and extended an elbow, "Shall we dance, my dear?" He asked. She smiled and took his elbow.

"You know this would be so much less awkward if you weren't practically engaged to a good friend of mine and more like a sister than a lover…." Zuko commented about half way through the first dance of the evening.

"This is true." Suki nodded, twirling. "But sadly it was would be so much less fun." She smiled at him and laughed. "It's fine. I'm assuming you'll send me home soon anyway. Iroh was desperate when he asked me, so I decided to pitch in and help him out." She shrugged.

"I know Suki. It is nice to have a friend here though." He smiled too. The dance finished.

The night proceeded fairly normally. Well, normally for the group of people he was with. Essence sang loudly whenever she could think of words for the melody, effectively scaring the shit out of Chan, whom she was dancing with at the time. Jun (who was wearing a scandalous amount of clothing) paid little mind to the boys and mostly focused on herself and Zuko occasionally.

And then there was Jin. As Always she was sweet charming and polite. When they danced, it was fast paced and loud with many spills and accidents. For once though it was _fun_. It was so different from the stiff court dances he had known all his life.

A slower dance began and he slid his arm around her waist pulling her off into the twilight of the candles; it was a secluded area where the music was faint but hearable and the towns murmur provided a pleasant background. It was eerily familiar to the two of them, the candles, the warm night breeze and the jovial atmosphere. Zuko spun her, her dress flaring slightly as she came back to rest in his arms. Zuko stopped moving his feet, instead swaying just slightly. It was peaceful and quiet. It felt as if they had been removed from the world and instead put in their own little reality. He took his hand from hers and brushed a lock from her forehead and running a finger down her cheek. She blushed and broke the eye contact. The minute hesitation managed to break the trance of the night and Zuko immediately stepped from the hold. It wasn't time. The old wounds hadn't healed.

"We should head back. I think it's getting pretty late." He walked away, barely looking back at the frustrated-looking girl now chewing on her lip. She sighed and headed back to the waiting dancers.

It was not long before the night ended, and they all went home wiped out and ready for bed. The entire way back Zuko found himself contemplating the possibility that one of the girls here might actually be right for him. Who it was, he had no idea but it was the mere idea of this harebrained idea actually working that caught him off guard. He also realized that he had seen all but one of the girls this week and that he must have one more individual date before eliminations. After a few moments of thinking he realized that it would be Song with him the following evening. He wasn't sure exactly how he felt about it, but he knew that he wasn't going to sleep easily that night.

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Zuko wondered if this trend of sleeping later than the sun was going to continue. That would be a problem for him considering he was supposed to be rising with the sun. He rubbed his eyes and tried once again to meditate in what he now deemed noonday heat. It wasn't pleasant. Later on he would go on his date with Song. It was a dinner affair and thus he had his day to prepare. Aside from hearing the people's complaints and a council session that he was forced to attend he was completely free that day, what an oddity, he thought. As he walked around the halls, taking advantage of this newly free time he found the halls empty and it seemed like no one else was around. Apparently everyone else was busy preparing for the ball the following evening. Zuko had been excluded from the preparations due to his already packed schedule. He was required to be present at the ball of course, but the planning had been taken from him and given to various members of the court to attend to.

After too long of wondering alone, Zuko stumbled across Toph, who was walking across the courtyard from the guest quarters.

"Hey Zuko." She waved and he changed his path to intercept hers.

"Hello. It seems like we never see each other now that you are all high and mighty, oh queen." He smiled a little.

"Yes well, but _I_ am present at dinner every night. Unlike some people we know." She pretended to be miffed about this.

"Ah yes, well it hardly seems fair to blame me for something that is entirely not my fault."

"How it is going by the way?" She stopped and turned to face him.

"I honestly am not sure anymore. It seems like this might actually work. I don't know. I feel like I'm missing something else that's really important." He explained.

"Well ya didn't have to get all mushy, sparky! What next? Will you start thinking bunny-puppies are cute? Crying at the end of Romance plays? Jeeze!" Toph lightly whacked him in the arm. Inwardly she sighed. And the world called her blind….

The conversation broke up a short while later and Zuko changed for his evening of shenanigans with Song. Unlike the previous evening where he had been driven alone, she was standing at the front gates of the palace waiting by the carriage that would take them to their mysterious date. She looked stunning. Her hair had been let down, her bangs swept to the side with a jeweled pin and she wore a long dress that faded from white to pink. She smiled gently.

"Hi." She greeted him, giving a small wave. Zuko moved forward and helped her into the carriage exchanging the normal pleasantries. For the first time that day his smile was truly genuine.

They drove for what seemed an eternity down the twisting roads of the ancient fire nation capital. They eventually swung downward and slowed to a halt. You could hear the gentle crash of waves and it was fairly clear that they were near the ocean.

Zuko stepped out first and laughed. He had known they were near the ocean, but he didn't realize they were on it! He was standing at the end of a long dock. On the other end a boat waited, clearly for them, with a table for two set up on deck. He helped Song from the carriage, warning her about the holes in the wood. She leaped gracefully from the carriage and smiled when she saw where they were.

"I used to love boats before it became too dangerous to go out into the water." She smiled. It was clearly something that held meaning for her. Zuko surprised himself by feeling happy that he could provide her with this experience. It was an odd feeling.

The boat was beautiful and entirely romantic. The food was simple and meant to share, and the conversation was excellent. Song sparkled when she was by herself like this. He found that she was actually quite funny and very entertaining, though in public she was very shy. There was music and thus dancing, and though it was not the intoxicating fluid motion is had been with Jin there was something almost innocent about this, pleasant and cheerful.

When the stars came out they gazed up at them, finding the constellations and telling the stories behind them. However, Zuko asked the Captain to head back when Song began to shiver, even through Zuko's coat, which he had leant her an hour earlier. It seemed as though through the evening the two had gotten closer and now there was little physical separation. Zuko held her hand as they walked back to the carriage.

However it wasn't until they were back in front of the palace that he kissed her. It wasn't a big production. Just a small peck on the lips and he stepped back, bowing his head. He wished her goodnight and turned to leave. She still had his jacket, but Iroh would ensure its safe return. This wasn't the time to ask for anything back.

???!!!~~~---+++###$$%%^$%&%^*

Zuko woke up on time the next morning. There was a slight haze over the previous night, something he attributed to exhaustion and a nice bit of wine. He rubbed his eyes and began to meditate as per his usual routine. His mind wandered as he performed his exercises. Mostly it focused on the upcoming elimination and also the ball tonight. He couldn't decide which he was dreading more. Eventually he forced himself to focus, shutting out the distractions and focusing on the only part of his mind that seemed to be sane anymore.

Sadly either way he decided the ball was coming up first. The parade of dignitaries seemed to never end as they shook hands and bowed all the way down the line. Zuko was towards the end while the rest of the gAang (aside from Aang himself) was at the beginning. He smiled and faked his way through the never ending procession, giving an excellent performance. Iroh knew that Zuko would make a great Fire Lord. If only he could find himself a wife! Such an unfortunate conundrum…

When finally the terror was at an end, Zuko made an attempt to find his way back to his friends...but sadly he failed. He was captured by this man and that ambassador. Lord this-y-that needed to speak to him and Dame fiddley-foodle simply must have a word! It was at least half way through the night when he would finally find one of them. Zuko happened to stumble out onto the balcony. He needed some air, the large heads in the room left little space for oxygen. There was a woman standing in the corner of the balcony looking out over the gardens. It took Zuko all of a second to recognize her.

"Katara?" He gently tapped her shoulder. She turned wearing a brilliant, but faked smile. Zuko was pleased when it faded, replaced with a more familiar one.

"Zuko!" She relaxed and he had a chance to observe her. The dress she wore was a halter top in light blue satin with a skirt of the same material. The middle section was corseted in a lighter shade of blue and fitted to her like a glove. Her hair was down and its natural curl had taken dominance. The frame it created around her face set her charcoal lined eyes aflame. "Are you enjoying the party?" She asked noting his observation of her clothing choice.

There was a long pause. "Define enjoying." He didn't smile, though it was a challenge with her bemused expression to contend with.

"Are you still alive and at least partially sane?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"Then you're enjoying the party!" She smiled. Zuko laughed and almost on queue a slow dance song began. Usually in these instances there was a moment of awkward silence, but there was none here. It was completely natural that Zuko picked up her hands and pulled her close. The contact sent shivers up their spines and Katara inhaled sharply. Zuko began to move, his steps fluid and easy, he never broke the slowly intensifying eye contact. They edged closer their dancing becoming more heated until they were both breathing hard. The ending to the song was sudden but the two completed the dance with grace and poise. Zuko didn't let Katara go, later even he wouldn't be able to give a reason, but it seemed right at the moment. Instead he brought their already close foreheads together and edged his lips downwards. Katara was trembling from desire to kiss him, and from her inner confliction. Zuko's lips touched hers for the briefest of seconds before she yanked away a small cry escaping her lips. There were tears in the corners of her eyes. And there was only one thought in her mind. _Amir… _She couldn't do this right now.

Zuko was utterly confused. Not only could he not explain his own actions but Katara's too were a mystery. She had wanted it. He knew she had wanted it, but she had pulled away with this look in her eyes as if he had betrayed her. For the love of Agni she was _crying_. She turned around and ran from the balcony back into the crowd of nobles, but Zuko knew he wouldn't see her again that night. What had happened? What had gone wrong?

Meanwhile, somewhere in a corner of the palace, the tears had started to fall down Katara's face. She reached into her bustier and removed a crumpled paper. The tears hit it even faster as she reread it for the _millionth_ time. Why, oh why, did this have to happen now? And in the dead silence, there was no answer to be found.

As much as Zuko just didn't want to think about it at all, it was time for the weekly elimination. He looked at the portraits, and considered his options, simply driving the ball from his mind. He was ready for this. He could do this. He was stronger than he was acting and one day he would be able to deal with the raging vortex of his thoughts. But not today. It was simply not in the cards.

In the end he sent home Essence and Ju-dee for the obvious reasons. He felt no closer to his goal but no further either. It was progress just as next week would be progress. He would just have to remember to tell Iroh no more dancing… Apparently it was too dangerous.

The Bachelor- Fire Nation Edition

Who will stay?

Who will get burned?

And Who will go home broken hearted?

Find out next time on

THE BACHELOR!

6800 words, holy mother of god this is a long chapter.

but i love u and YOU SHOULD REVIEW!!!! thanks and pocky to all who have!


	5. Farshikkert

Disclaimer: I think there should be a disclaimer song. These would be so much more fun that way, I DON'T own it, and I am not affiliated with Viacom or Nickelodeon Studios.

Note: so school is finally done. Apparently. *headdesk* AND BACK WE GO to school. Sorry this took so long. I was away a lot in my meek defense. And it's long XD.

* * *

**The Bachelor: Fire Nation Version**

Chapter 5: Farshikkert

Brunch on Sunday was awkward, to say the least. At the beginning of each week since the beginning Zuko's wife-picking process, all of the key members of the palace had been meeting for a casual meal mid-morning. Today, the number included Iroh, Zuko, the other fire nobles, Toph, Sokka, the girls from the house, and of course, Katara. And this particular Sunday that would be where the problem originated. It had been three days since they had their encounter on the balcony, since they had stolen their kiss and somehow everything had gone horribly wrong (not that either of them had thought something _good_ might come of this, but… one could dream). Zuko reflected on this as he made swirly patterns in the broken yolk of his poached egg. Katara hadn't spoken to him since she ran off sobbing, and now she wouldn't even make eye contact with him. Had he really screwed everything up this much? How was that POSSIBLE? Song on the other hand kept meeting his eyes and would blush every time. Katara was watching the interaction and getting more and more annoyed (not that Zuko ever figured this out). Eventually Zuko decided to take decisive action. He gave the runny yellow mess one more swipe for good measure and called over the messenger who standing board straight against the nearby wall.

"Take this message to Princess Katara?" Zuko whispered, slipping a small paper into the boy's hand. He nodded quickly. "Thank you." Zuko dismissed him and the child ran off to deliver his note with great pride. When Katara received it, she read it quickly, glancing up at Zuko. She took a moment and slipped a piece of silver into the boy's hand. He returned to his post and Katara, once again making eye contact with Zuko, gave a curt nod acknowledging the contents of the note. It wasn't that Katara was especially angry at Zuko for kissing her; she did in fact acknowledge that she had been a participant in that event as well. It was the implications of the action. She knew that whatever had transpired between them had to stop there. They were not meant to be messing around at a time like this! Both of their nations were in the process of building themselves up and it was imperative that they remain focused and do what was required of them. For now at least, an affair between the two of them was simply out of the question. As she thought this she was savagely cutting her own egg into teeny tiny pieces to small to eat. What concerned Katara the most though was the fact that she even had to _consider_ whether or not it was acceptable. She shouldn't even be thinking about him like that! She turned her attention strictly back to her meal and she began making a serious attempt at building a cabin out of asparagus.

* * *

After breakfast, Katara wandered out into the balcony off the dining room instead of following the rest of the crowd out back towards the private or conference rooms and gardens. Zuko too followed her out onto the balcony and stood next to her. There was silence for a minute, a vain attempt to recreate the easy camaraderie they had enjoyed before the party and throughout their travels. Zuko felt the muscles in his arm contract as he longed to rub her back like he would've in the old days when she looked like this. Katara had her arms wrapped around her delicate frame and her eyes were heavy and sad, her full lips downturned. However, Zuko now knew better and didn't touch her.

"Was there something you wanted to talk about?" Katara asked, glancing over at Zuko. When he looked up he merely found a casual curiosity in her eyes, a mask now covered the worry.

"Yeah, actually." He rubbed the back of his head "I just wanted to apologize, for the other night…" He paused trying to find the right words, but Katara beat him to it.

"Please," She looked at him with a look of desperation in her eyes, it was so rare for Katara that he was immediately shut up. "don't say it. Just leave it. In fact forget about it." She ran a finger down the side of his face. "Let's just always keep it at the back of our heads to remember on stormy days when we need to feel hopeful again. But please just don't _apologize_ for it." She offered no explanation and it was clear she would not either. She left and Zuko was left standing there feeling completely confused and for some reason he felt more alone now than he ever had before.

* * *

It was yet another two days before Zuko and Katara would talk to each other in a semi-normal manner. There was quite the bustling about the palace in preparation for the afternoon for it was the first of Zuko's next set of dates. As the numbers narrowed the feeling of anticipation grew exponentially as people began to think about wedding plans and all the various pieces thereof. Iroh had been busy in yet another international meeting so he had sent Katara to do the informing this time.

Zuko was sparring at the moment in the arena. Katara watched quietly from the sidelines while the fight was ending. Zuko, of course, would win, there were very few people who could equal his power now that he had improved to his current level. When he was finished and had bowed, she clapped.

"Oh, hey Kat!" He waved to her and trotted over. "Thanks. What're you doing here?" He asked still slightly pumped up on the adrenaline from the fight. He took the towel that she had offered him and whipped his face and neck, still glistening with sweat, clean.

"I have come with a message from your uncle!" She smiled and Zuko froze. He had known that it was the right day for a date but he was not expecting it to come through Katara. Still he couldn't help but think how nice it was to talk to her again. He finished whipping off and hung the towel around his neck.

"Okay… so what's up?" He asked casually, leaning against the wall a little bit.

"You, my friend" Katara poked Zuko's nose "have a date!" She smiled. "And, I can assure you, it is going to be insane amounts of fun. I know this because I myself set it up! Wear something you can get messy." She smiled at him and turned to leave. "See you this afternoon!" She sang the last part, and swished her hips slightly. She began to move away, presuming her message delivered.

"Wait, what are we doing?" Zuko asked, playfully grabbing at her arm. She stopped and turned, smiling.

"I'm not going to tell you!" She laughed and they walked from the room.

"Wait…" He said catching up; at this point they were moving through the hallways. "Tell me who it is at least!" He was grinning from ear to ear, just happy to be back to normal.

"I could do that, but I won't. It's much more fun to watch you squirm. I can tell you though that you will have three dates, two individuals and one group."

"Oh thanks so much." Zuko said sarcastically rolling his eyes. They were almost back to his room, and they slowed down slightly.

"So, only eight left huh? How're you feeling?" She looked at him carefully, analyzing.

"Oh Agni," Zuko ran a hand down the back of his head "I really don't know. I mean I feel like there are girls here who could _possibly_ function as a wife and maybe I could ya know… love them one day, but I feel like they only ever talk to a 'Fire Prince'. They don't let loose and really show me who they are." At this point they had arrived at his rooms. "It really pisses me off actually…" He growled.

"Let me think on it." Katara smiled. She glanced up at the sun. "Oh my, we both have to get going. Off to the bath with you. You stink!" She laughed, pushing him into his room, and then sauntered down the hallway humming lightly to herself. She was off to make plans with a chef and to enact a plan that had been brewing for quite some time.

* * *

As Zuko exited the carriage he was more than slightly surprised to find himself standing in front of the Royal Art Institute. There was a short dirt path leading up a hill to the entrance of the beautiful and familiar building. He had spent much time here as a child as it had been another of his mother's favorite places to take him on rainy days. She had always believed that art was a sort of ultimate beauty and it was a belief that she had faithfully passed down to Zuko. As he approached the waiting doors, he saw two figures lingering by the entrance. He easily identified them as Katara and Meng. So that was it, he thought, Meng would be his date for the day. Interesting.

"Hello," He began as he approached the two women who had been chatting moments before. "Katara, Meng" He nodded to each and smiled gently. Meng smiled back at him shyly. There was a moment of silence.

"So, Zuko, obviously your date today is Meng! I have asked one of my favorite people I have met since coming to the fire nation as an ambassador to help out! Please, let me introduce Mi Kyong Yoshimi, the direct of New World Arts." She smiled and a young lady stepped forward from the shadows of the doorway. She also pushed an elderly man in a wheel-chair up to the meeting place.

"Good Afternoon! I am Mi Kyong, and I run a division that specializes in the fusion of arts from all four nations; it was started after the war, mostly and is making great process." She shook Meng and Zuko's hand and hugged Katara.

"And this," Katara began again; this time gesturing to the elderly man "is Hidetaka Yoshimi, her grandfather. He runs the entire institute and is a dear friend of mine as well. He will not be part of your date today, but when he heard you were coming, he insisted on meeting you." It was an honor to be meeting this man, and Zuko knew it. He bowed low to the man, showing his great respect.

"What an honor, young prince. I do hope you take such an avid interest in art as your mother did. She was a great patron, and a greater connoisseur." He returned the bow and turned his attention to the young waterbender. "Now, Katara my dear, shall we go to work on those gardens. I would swear the flowers have missed you." Katara smiled and moved to take the chair from Mi Kyong. Zuko finally understood why Katara was there and why she was dressed in a tight fitting white blouse and short pants. The two left, and Zuko turned expectantly towards the sprightly woman in front of him.

"So today, I thought we would experiment with one of our newest art forms!" She opened the doors to the grand building and led them inside, turning down a hallway that contained many examples of ancient fire nation art. "The technique combines the fire nation tradition of Scorch Marking, where the artist uses fire bending to create intricate patterns by singeing a canvas or other materials with the water tribes' tradition of using paint to create swirling designs without a true picture underneath it." At this point she had turned off into a section that was clearly studios for students. She continued down the corridor and it was clear that their destination was the set of ornate and large double doors at the end. "We are calling it Splatter Painting because of the effect it produces. She swung open the door and lead them into an anti-chamber where there were pieces on the walls of this new art. "So today, you're going to try it with water balloons, paint, and that huge canvas!"

"Super…" Zuko remarked dryly. It sounded like fun, sure, but it seemed a bit… silly.

"Don't be so stuffy! You'll have a good time if you let yourself!" Mi Kyong waved goodbye and left them in the room together.

"So, uh, I guess we use these balloons to paint… that." Meng shrugged, pointing at the canvas at the other end of the room.

"Ok well… here goes nothing." Zuko picked up one of the small bags, and chucked it at the wall, hard. It burst on contact leaving a huge orange spot. Meng tried it out with a similar affect, only her splotch was purple. They repeated this a few times, feeling slightly bored, until Zuko picked up a rather flaccid balloon. He threw it at the wall, but instead of exploding in a burst of color, it bounced off, landed on the floor, and covered both him and Meng in threads of bright red paint.

"I'm so sorr…" But Zuko never got to finish that sentence as the clearly not upset Meng grabbed another balloon and chucked it at Zuko. It was a direct hit, and Zuzu was now pink… Meng giggled.

"Well, if _that's _how you're gonna play it…" He laughed loudly and they both began to throw paint filled balloons at each other. Every once in a while one of the balloons would hit the canvas adding to their now mostly forgotten art work; for the most part though the paint was used on the other person. Soon the floor was slippery and their skin and hair were multi-colored and sticky. When Meng reached for another balloon to avenge the newly blossomed green blob on her thigh, she found that they had run out of balloons.

"I guess we're out..." She smiled and shrugged. Zuko walked over to where she was standing, and looked down into the bin. He leaned over evaluating her claim. It was true there were no more balloons in the bucket, but he had spotted one on the floor beside it. He carefully picked it up and hid it behind his back.

"Yeah, I guess so." He commented, standing back up. They were very close now, Zuko having to look down to meet Meng's eyes. There was a lull in the room, a quiet moment where there should have been sparks in the air. There should have been some desire for that spark to ignite, but instead, Zuko, feeling the need to cut through the silence brought his secret balloon down on Meng's head, effectively coating her hair in yellow. He laughed at her shocked expression.

"You jerk!" Meng exclaimed jokingly; she was clearly more comfortable without the pressure for romance. It was at that moment that Mi Young came back into the room.

"I see that you two are done… and your painting looks wonderful." She glanced at the pair and then the canvas. "I only wish we could keep your shirts too." She smiled. "Ah well, there is spare clothing for you waiting in the showers. Get cleaned up and put on what's in the garment bags. It should fit just fine." She gestured to the two doorways marked girl and boy.

"Thanks Mi Young." Zuko waved before they both slipped into their individual bathrooms. In the sleek black bags was clothing, sized and tailored perfectly for the two. Zuko's contained a new set of tailored robes, beautifully made of red silk. Meng's was a shorter pink dress that swirled around her knees. It was a halter top that flattered her developing figure.

When they were finally changed they were lead by demur servants outside into the gardens. They were splendid, alive with fountains and lights in among the flowers that could have spoken for themselves. Altogether it was a beautiful sight and it seemed only more completed by the white table bedecked with candles and silver dishes that glinted in the light.

After they both were seated and the food served, they began to talk. It was not uncomfortable, and it seemed as though they were merely very good friends sitting and talking. The conversation was nothing special, but it was happy and lighthearted. The night wore on, and eventually the evening ended. They parted ways at the carriage in front of the building.

"So I guess I'll see you around then…" Meng ran a hand through her hair and looked shyly up at Zuko from under her slight side bang.

* * *

"Yeah, sure." Zuko smiled and offered her his hand. She accepted and helped her into the waiting carriage. He gave a small wave and watched as she rode out of the dirt driveway and away from him. He let out a breath that he had been holding. When he was with Meng he was always afraid of crossing that strange boundary she seemed to have set up around her. Yet another girl who just wouldn't let him in. Zuko hoped that Katara had one hell of a good idea, actually he would take an idea at all.

* * *

Due to Iroh's busy schedule he happened to not really pay attention when approving Zuko's schedule for the next week. Sadly this made for a very interesting confrontation the morning after his date with Meng when he was awoken for his afternoon group date. It was beginning to seem to Iroh that they were going to have to rehire the entirety of the palace staff once Zuko took the crown to have anyone willing to deliver food to him anymore! It was really going to be a tiring affair.

Zuko on the other hand was not concerned about the wellbeing of the page that had come to get him up that morning. He was more concerned about the fact that he hadn't slept in nearly two weeks for more than one night in a row and was now being asked to once again entertain a gaggle of giggling girls for an afternoon that he really didn't have the time to give up. It was an unfortunate conundrum that Zuko knew he could do absolutely nothing about. Once he had eaten his meal with a great amount of clanging of silverware and slamming of glasses, he changed into the clothing that had been laid out of him. He was really getting tired of not being able to pick his own clothing too… I just can't wait until this is all over, Zuko thought repeatedly throughout the whole wretched process.

* * *

He emerged from his room half an hour later fully dressed and wearing a smile that could have eroded stainless steel. The nearest butler nearly wet himself. Iroh had managed to clear a few minutes to send him off on his second date of the week, to make amends for missing the first entirely.

"So, curious about your next date!?" Iroh popped up behind Zuko, affectively scaring the shit out of him.

"Ah!" Zuko jumped; the happy pretense he had plastered on his face slipped to show the exhaustion and irritation. "It better be worth the sleep deprivation or _someone_ is going to lose a vital body part. I _will not_ specify which." Zuko grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Don't worry! Today you're going to a theme park!" Iroh grinned from ear to ear. The rollercoaster had been an invention of the fire nation, a fluke of military steel work experimentation. Zuko had only ever been to a theme park once, somewhat due to his uncontrollable busy schedule, a tad bit because of him trying to avoid it, but mostly it had been the fact that he was exiled for much of his adolescence. Now, 20 years old, he would be going back… this could be interesting…

"Who am I going with?" Zuko asked, politely.

"Didn't anyone tell you?" Iroh sighed "When you get older thing just start to slip away, nephew. This is another of your group dates, the only one this week in fact." Iroh smiled and removed a scroll from his sleeve. "And the lovely ladies are: Jin, Ty Lee, Song, Jun, Smellerbee and last but not least, Suki." Iroh smiled. "You are cultivating quite a lovely batch of girls, Zuko."

"You think?" He raised an eyebrow at his uncle.

"I really do. I have no doubt you will find happiness. Just don't close your eyes. Take in everyone and everything around you." Iroh patted Zuko's back and left him to mull over his cryptic message.

* * *

Lucky for Zuko's poor mind (it couldn't take much more of this heavy thinking) the girls soon arrived to drive to their destination. They were all dressed casually in their native colors. It was a tiny culture shock for Zuko to see the two colors so readily paralleled. The earth kingdom green used to be taboo in the fire nation, and when he was in the earth kingdom his own nation's colors were almost always banned. The war really had changed the world in a way that not many people were seeing yet.

It was actually really pretty, the variance in colors. Zuko thought he could get used to it. Now all they needed was a bit of blue and they would have the three nations that could be represented present. It was sad that they would never sit with someone garbed in orange.

Zuko's mind, continuing on its heavy path anyway, couldn't help but hope that whomever Aang decided to settle with would provide him with several children, and he hoped some would be airbenders. It really would be a blessing to this world.

* * *

Zuko was jolted out of his deep thoughts when the cart creaked to a stop. The intricately carved door was opened for them, and one by one the ladies stepped out into the now blazing sunlight. Zuko was last, jumping easily down onto the dirt path that would take them to the entrance.

Already you could hear the screams of those enjoying the thrills of the rollercoasters and the laughter of those who had chosen the less dangerous and adrenaline riddled path.

"So!" Zuko rubbed his hands together and smiled in what was actually a slight sketchy manner "Who's ready for some good old-fashioned fun!" Sadly, he couldn't really help the slight twitch that found its way to his unscarred eye. The girls didn't seem to notice though as they were preoccupied with their own problems, getting ready to head in.

"We should go in now." Suki, whom had previously been tugging at the bottom of her shorter-than-normal shirt, vainly attempting to cover the slight bit of exposed skin, had silently moved to Zuko's side and her whisper startled him.

"Ah, yeah, okay." Zuko ran his hand through his hair. He smiled wearily at her and began to move towards the gaudy gates.

"Don't be so nervous!" Suki chided him quietly. "One, the girls will feel less comfortable and two it makes the already rather pronounced bags under your eyes worse." Zuko quirked an eyebrow.

"The _bags_ under my eyes?" He struggled to keep the smile off his lips

"Mhmm, it kinda looks like you've been punched in the face. Repeatedly. Ah well, you just need more sleep!" Zuko laughed slightly, suddenly very glad for Suki's companionship. He would be sad to see her go, but she was definitely Sokka's and so it was inevitable.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!" Ty Lee squealed. Apparently she saw something she liked. Or something shiny. It was always difficult to tell with her. "Look! They have water rides too!" She finished her thought and immediately began to scream again.

They all headed off for the entrance and the group swerved through the crowded park with a relative amount of ease. The girls made jokes and laughed freely, enjoying the pleasant weather and the cheerful environment. Upon Ty Lee's adamant insistence they had decided to dedicate a significant amount of time to the water park, but due to the other girl's reluctance to get themselves wet and then have to walk around, they decided to wait until after lunch.

The girls took turns sitting next to Zuko as they went on ride after stomach-bending ride. There was the compensation of adrenaline that would kick in at the top of each hill, but it was barely enough to keep a few of the girls from going green in the face. Eventually both Song and Jun decided to sit out for a few. Smellerbee was used to heights and sudden stops and starts from her days in the trees (even though someone from that camp might not even recognize her now) and Ty Lee was used to it all, the spinning the whirling and the heights. She was a circus freak after all and very proud of it. He found himself still laughing at her antics hours into the day.

* * *

Needless to say, everyone was glad for a reprieve when lunch time rolled around. Even the girls who had grown up visiting these parks, mainly Jin and Suki, were more than happy to accept the proffered break-time. They were herded in a group to a quiet exit where they were lead out of the park and onto the grassy knolls surrounding the nearby lake. It was crystal clear and seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, catching their eyes as the rides whirled around just behind them. A picnic lunch was provided and all partook in the appetizing local fair. This was something that Zuko knew Iroh had been adamant on. If they were to go somewhere familiar, or locally known, they would be as normal as possible. They would wait in the lines for seats and they would eat the same uncomplicated foods that the masses would have. There were rolls of sushi and plates of steaming dishes that tasted vaguely (And not so vaguely) of curry. Some were fiery and some were extremely mild but all were delicious.

The park had become slightly more crowded after lunch and now there were many small children populating the kiddie rides and in general generating as much havoc as their sweaty and disgruntled parents would allow. The group of older adolescents weaved their way to the large gates decorated with cartoonish water splashes and huge heinously colored letters the proclaimed that this was, in fact, the water park section.

They all decided to head for the bathrooms due to a mutual need to change, and as soon as they saw the signs that pointed the way, they set off. Through the throngs of other bathers exiting and entering the bathrooms the girls slowly vanished until Zuko was left to battle his way from the flood of women to the men's room entrance. There was a small open area between the two swarms and Zuko, in a daring and slightly crazed moment, lunged for this temporary safe haven. Narrowly missing the party of elderly ladies now leaving the rooms, he flew forwards, skittering to a halt just in time. With a sigh of relief he wiped his forehead and heaved a great sigh.

"Zuko?" A quiet voice inquired from behind him.

"AHH!" He jumped as whirled around palms ready to ignite. He was met by a startled looking Song who was still in the pink wrap around dress that she had been wearing all day. Sans bathing suit. He reworked his face back into a semblance of normality and eventually something confused.

"You not changing? You forget your suit or something?" He ran a hand through his hair. It was becoming a nervous tick.

"Well… I uh… I'm just … a little shy about my body…" Song would only make eye contact with Zuko after she had finished her halting explanation and the grudging eye contact was complemented nicely by the quickly developing blush.

Well.

That wasn't what he was expecting.

At all.

And Zuko had no idea what to do now. Dam. He ran a hand through his hair, giving a nervous chuckle.

"Don't be nervous. I'm sure you have a beautiful body and… and… yeah. I'm sure you'll look great. Don't let the mark on your leg bother you." He smiled and prayed to god that she wasn't going to cry…

"Oh that's not the problem. I'm okay with that. There's just… this other thing on my skin… that doesn't bother me… but sometimes people stare…" She pulled the elastic out of her loose braid, letting it slowly untangle. She hid behind the newly formed curtain of hair.

"I'm sure that the birthmark thing- or whatever isn't that bad, Song. And" He slipped a hand onto her hip, moving closer, "if people stare. I say, let them." He smiled down at her and then quickly brushed their lips together. Still smiling he turned to walk to the men's room.

He looked back after a few seconds and Song was out of sight.

When they all emerged a few minutes later, they seemed the closest of friends, giggling madly. Suki was in an incredibly low cut green monokini that was secured at the boobs with a golden clip, the neck line plunging still further, in fact you could even see her belly button. She still wore a pair of long baggy dark green pants that cut off just below the knee. For some reason the sexy number made Zuko want to giggle. It was probably the shock of the self proclaimed tom-boy in something quite that… _feminine_.

Jun was in a black and red string bikini (what else). The top barely covered anything, and Zuko gulped loudly when he saw her. She wore a teeny tiny pair of red spandex shorts as a cover.

Smellerbee had donned a dark blue one piece that was very conservative. She seemed nervous enough anyway and clearly putting on a showy little bathing suit was not quite up her ally.

Jin had chosen to wear a bikini that was green with white polka dots. It was covered loosely by a scarf tied around her waist that trailed close to her knee.

Ty Lee had bounded out pulling Song's hand as she stumbled shyly from the changing rooms. She was wearing a unique bikini that pulled up between her boobs in a one shoulder strap with a gold clip on it. There was also a tie on the bottom. The whole ensemble was pink and bubbly as she was. Song on the other hand was still wearing a cover up. It was a billowy un-fitted pink dress made of a gauzy material. A thick band of darker pink encircled the top and two thick straps pulled over her shoulders.

"And now this is going to come off!" Ty Lee commanded tugging gently at the delicate fabric. Song blushed but obliged the whiny teen, stripping off the gauzy piece. She was wearing a delicate white one piece. It was one shouldered and only one side of her body was covered and the suit wound down, leaving her stomach and left side exposed. There was pink stitching all the way through. That, however, was not what dropped the jaw of everyone in the group. Ty Lee of course, had known, but the others girls had not been present when she came out of the changing room. Their eyes were transfixed on her right side. Winding its way up her side there was a flower, there were three flowers and they all bloomed just before her swim suit started. Of all the people, Zuko thought, to have a tattoo, my first guess would not have been Song. Never ever would have thought it. But there it was. Nobody was even looking at the scar on her leg.

"It's for my father. And his sister and brother, my aunt and uncle. All three died in the war, and I wanted to commemorate them. And so this is the way I chose." There was a steady blush on her cheeks now.

Cricket.

Cricket.

"Cool." Smellerbee murmured. At that the entire group broke into snickers. Zuko then slid a hand around Song's waist, gently brushing his hand down the length of her memorial, and the other around Jin's and they set off for the water slides and log flumes. It was a long afternoon full of fun and waves. They took turns choosing rides and people in general had a good time, despite some embarrassing landings and other byproducts of general mayhem.

* * *

Yet, finally, tired from the heat that had poured off of the concrete and asphalt and with ears still dripping out dribbles of warm water, the tired assemblage of teens loaded themselves back into a carriage and headed back for the palace which was affectively their home.

Zuko, his mind drifting in and out of exhausted delirium, caught himself wondering why Song hadn't just told him what was bothering her. Why the build up? And more importantly why all the secrecy? Zuko would have been fine with it. Hell, he even liked it. Dam these girls for making this so much harder than it needed to be! He, once again, hoped that Katara had something up her sleeve… _anything…_

He immediately hardened his expression. It's not her problem, he told himself. It's actually none of her business really. He sighed. It was just the heat. Too much heat. Not enough sleep. That was it. He would just go to sleep early tonight. That was best for all.

* * *

Surprisingly, when Zuko awoke the next morning, the sun was already streaming in his window at a pleasant angle. It had to be near to noon, he thought, and yet there were no toddlers pulling his hair, no oatmeal waiting to be spread across his curtains and no terrified looking servants. Oh something was very wrong here.

Somehow though, he got up in his own sweet time, carefully pulling on casual robes and meditating in the courtyard. No one interrupted him. No one flung water at him and there was only tea if he wanted it. The rest of the day passed much like that, restful and calm. It was so lovely that Zuko found himself extra anxious to be over and done with this whole process so that he could have more days like these.

* * *

Sadly, this could not continue, and the next morning the carpet in his room was greeted with a butter side down piece of toast. Along with the aforementioned toast there had been a note, but it was caught up in the breakfast deluge and was now coated in some sticky fruity concoction, the ink slowly dripping. The original message now looked more like the distorted outline of two ducks… maybe… but after roughly ten minutes of blotting and squinting Zuko did work out the message. Sort of.

_Good Morning Nephew, _

_Congratulations on having another (something-er-other)date_

_this afternoon. Please report to the front (something) at (some-_

_thing something er other)and don't be late!!_

_Lots of hugs and butterfly (smudge)s, Uncle Iroh_

Zuko reread the note again. Obviously he had another date this afternoon- but he really couldn't make out the meeting point and time! A rather large globule of strawberry matter had completely eradicated all resemblance to the English language that the note might have once bore. Crap, Zuko thought. Abandoning the note on his also shmutzed bed, Zuko tore through his wardrobe dressing quickly and setting off at breakneck pace to have his questions answered.

He finally arrived at Iroh's special tea-time pavilion out of breath and not-so-slightly red in the face. The placid man glanced up from his tea along with Katara who was sitting cross-legged across from him.

"Yes, nephew? May I be of assistance?" He smiled lightly. Katara smiled up at him and then returned to her tea.

"Ispilledjellyonmynoteandnowicantreadafreakingowordofitsoyouneedtotellmetheinformationagain!" Zuko spoke at high speed and Iroh merely gave him a mildly confused look. Belatedly realizing that not many people can understand his rather garbled speech, Zuko took a deep _calming _breath. _Calm… calmmm… CALMMMMMMMM. _Zuko thought. It wasn't working too well though, maybe I'm doing it wrong… he surmised.

"Apparently Zuko had smudged the ink on his note with the jelly from the toast this morning. He is missing time and place, which happen to be noon and at the front gate." Katara didn't look up until the very end of her statement, punctuating her little performance with a quick smile.

"okay…. And.."

"Mai." Katara interrupted. This time her smile was just a tad-bit bitter, making Zuko wonder what exactly was behind that attitude shift. "And for that matter you don't have very long. By now the butler that was sent over should have laid out your clothing. Now, go get ready. Shoo!" Zuko turned, and stumbled away looking back occasionally, trying to figure out if Katara was kidding or not…

And of course she was.

"Now back to the issue at hand." Iroh smiled kindly. Katara didn't smile.

"Yes. I think the room should be ready in…" She mentally tabulated the days needed for travel. "including today four days. I think that's when he will arrive." She furrowed her brow and sipped her tea uneasily.

"My dear, are you sure you're alright with this?" Iroh placed one of his wizened hands over Katara's. They were already chaffed and battered thanks to days of hard work and her bending craft itself. She glanced down.

"Yes. I don't really have a choice do I?" She pasted on a smile, but the effect was countered by the tears rapidly forming at the corners of her eyes. Her mind flashed to her plan for the following evening and she had to blink hastily to hold back the tears. Oh why did she get herself into this?

* * *

Zuko had been very surprised when he was asked politely to put on his less formal, exercise garb by the worried looking butler. He was even more surprised when Mai came out of the guest quarters wearing a _very _different outfit. It was completely black (well that wasn't so different) but it was also a halter top that extended down into flowing pants that were so generous in fabric that you almost couldn't tell they weren't a skirt. The sides were split open almost all the way down from the top of the garment to her hips, and these gaps were crisscrossed with strips of black fabric. The effect was… stunning.

"Good afternoon." Zuko said as she came close enough for conversation.

"Mmm, it's been a while." She leaned in and kissed his cheek, and he kissed hers. They settled back into comfortable silence for a few minutes.

The clip clop of a horse drawn carriage could now be heard and Zuko placed his hand on the small of Mai's back to guide her to the pick-up spot. They entered the vehicle and started off for their unknown destination. They watched as quickly, the scenes of bustling city life were left behind and a softer way of living emerged. No more cramped streets, full of children's carefree shrieks mixed with the bartering of the downtrodden adults. No more laundry lines bearing their colorful burden happily rippling with the breeze. Now there were pastoral panoramas, livestock and the merry people who raised and guarded them. There were people bent over in the long green rice patties and those sitting on horses and plows tending the crops that would feed him and his guests. They rode in silence.

The carriage stopped, but outside the windows all you could see were the same vistas of country life.

"You don't know where we are going by any chance?" Mai inquired, raising an eyebrow. Zuko just shrugged and swung the door open, hopping from the carriage. Mai quickly followed suit, graceful and bored. As always.

Very suddenly, Zuko broke out into hearty laughter. Mai shot him another inquiring look, and then turned to read the sign that they were now standing in front of. It read _Honoo-Kusabana National Park_. Mai was still confused.

"This is where I learned to ride a horse!" Zuko exclaimed. "I haven't been here since … Agni knows when." he mused.

"What are we doing here?" Mai asked no one in particular and with no particular inflection.

"Excuse me miss," a well-dressed stable hand bowed to them "but as it seems you are dressed for riding, and as these are also my orders, I wonder if I might show you to the stables and assist you in finding the ideal horses for the day."

"That would be lovely." Zuko answered for them and moved up to Mai's side, offering her his arm. She accepted and they set off at a brisk pace. "Answer your question?" He asked smiling at his date. She merely rolled her eyes and looked away. She might have been hiding a smile. But knowing Mai it was unlikely.

The stables were gorgeous. Clean and sleek, the horses were clearly well tended and exercised regularly. The stable boy recommended a mild mare for Mai who politely declined for a younger colt with a puckish spark in his eye. The man raised an eyebrow slightly but soon smoothed his face back into his 'dealing with royalty' façade.

"_Excellent_ choice madam. Wakaki is one of our _finest_ specimens." Mai simply nodded as a teenage boy came out to saddle and prepare the horse. He then urged Zuko onto Wakaki's brother, another sparky young colt, but he instead pointed to a fierce looking young mare. She held her head proudly, whinnying when their guide approached her.

"Forgive me sir, but Admete is barely broken. Still slightly wild you see." He smiled and Zuko stepped forward, putting his hand on her muzzle. She immediately quieted and nuzzled his hand.

"I think she'll do just fine." He smiled. Another nervous-looking hand came and tended to her. The hand looked slightly pissed off and began to bark orders at the other works, leaving Mai and Zuko to show themselves out.

The horses were perfect in the end. There were quick and lively, gliding through the fields of green effortlessly and jumping the logs in the forest without difficulty. Zuko caught himself laughing, something he rarely did, and Mai's possibly even less seen smile made an appearance at least once or twice.

They were deep in the forest following a just large enough path that was shaded with sun dappled leaves and lined with trees bearing exquisite vines only seen in the southern part of the fire nation. Mai was grinning easily now, her hair had fallen completely loose, her bangs were a mess; divided down the middle as she tried in vain to push them from her forehead. She looked so wild, so exhilarated…. she looked _alive. _ She turned to Zuko, perched gracefully in her saddle.

"I think I see a clearing ahead!" She gestured down the path.

"Yeah, there are some gorgeous fields around here and I bet that's one of them. We should stop there for lunch." He nodded and turned his horse towards that same direction. Mai, looking completely unlike herself, adopted a wicked smile.

"I'll race you!" She laughed, honestly laughed. Zuko, taken aback completely, was easily beaten by the skilled rider. She reached the clearing well before him, but stopped abruptly causing Zuko to speed right past her into the large field. It was entirely made up of brilliantly red flowers in full bloom. Zuko had also stopped, although he was half way through the field. He turned back to face Mai, who was slowly meandering towards him.

"What are these…" She trailed off, looking slightly dazed. Her horse pulled up to his so that they were facing each other and very close.

"They're the Honoo-Kusabana, the flame flowers. The park is named for them. They only bloom for a few weeks each year. We got really lucky." He smiled. Mai met his eyes and for a moment his expression faltered. Her hair was a mess, the straggling ends hanging anywhere they pleased, there was a wild look in her eyes and she was breathing hard, her lips red as the flowers against her pale, pale skin.

"They're gorgeous." She exhaled softly; obviously their closeness was affecting her too. Almost on its own accord, Zuko's hand lifted to stroke down her face, pausing over her cheek bones and then moving to encircle the back of her head, drawing her closer.

"They remind me of you; beautiful, fleeting and so easily missed when they're gone." He whispered, so quietly that for a moment he was convinced that she hadn't heard him. At that point though, Zuko was beyond caring, and he leaned in watching as her eyes fluttered closed and planted a sweet, slow kiss on her mouth. They fell into the familiar pattern with ease, their lips like old friends meeting again.

Zuko almost falling off his horse finally made them break apart. Mai was all flushed cheeks and giggles. Zuko ran a hand through his hair.

"So lunch?" He asked and let out a small chuckle.

* * *

His date with Mai had been lovely, even dreamlike. They had eaten slowly and spent the remainder of the afternoon touring the rest of the park and doing some much needed catching up. When he was with her, it was just like old times. Their puppy love had kicked in again and it seemed as though there just wasn't a care in the world.

Zuko had awoken on his own time again that morning, a rare nicety that he was coming to really value. He didn't smile when he got up and stretched. He had some thinking to do, but that was something to write on the TO THINK ABOUT list which was safely filed at the back of his head. Not to mention that there was also someone knocking forcefully on his door at the moment and he should _probably_ answer it.

In his silk sleeping pants he opened the door to find none other than the 'yes-I-just-rolled-out-of-bed' looking Katara. She was wearing a casual strapless red dress, with her hair piled loosely on top of her head and bound several times with a silver band.

"Hiya!" She chirped happily. "So ya ready for something fun?" She winked at him and let herself into the room without permission.

"What am I supposed to be ready for again?" He asked, slightly dazed from his deep sleep.

"The plan!" She smiled again and plopped on his bed, gesturing for him to sit. "To… uh… assist the girls in opening up to you." She had a mischievous look in her eyes that Zuko actually found intriguing. Yet another item for that quickly growing list.

"Okay. Shoot." Zuko slid onto the bed beside her, leaning against one of the bed posts.

"Hear me out… I want to have a slumber party!" She bounced a little.

"And that will help how?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well see, I'm planning on showing up to make the other girls jealous" she waved a hand dismissively if as to say that it wasn't important _how_ she was going to make them jealous. "and with me I am going to bring cactus juice. Lots of cactus juice. The basic plan it to get them all farshikkert! " She grinned. Zuko looked confused.

"Fa-what-what?" Zuko asked.

"Far-shik-kert. It's drunk in Yiddish! See, once they have been drunk and disorderly around you they just won't give a shit anymore." I hope. Katara finished the sentence in her head, well there was the slight chance that they would all be too embarrassed to even think about talking to Zuko anymore... but we just weren't gonna think about that… Of course none of this occurred to Zuko who seemed to buy this and he nodded slowly.

"Wait, how are _we _supposed to remain conscious enough to not make fools of ourselves?" He asked, frowning, deep in thought.

"Oh easy. I'm going to fill two bottles with water and we can just pour the drinks so we make sure to ingest limited cactus juice, we'll keep them close by and they'll have something on the lid to tell us which is which." She winked and gave him her, pleasepleasepleaseIknowitwillwork look.

"Okay… that seems reasonable." He conceded. "A little off kilter. But… honestly… it sounds like it could be kinda fun!" He ran a hand through his hair. "So what do I need to do?" he asked.

"Show up. 8 o'clock. The guest quarter's commons." She smiled and hopped off the bed. She pulled her dress up a little on top, smiled, and bounded out the door

* * *

Meanwhile, in the kitchens, seven bottles of clear, thick liquid waited lined up on the counter. Their labels all read the same: Premium Grade Cactus Juice. Imported. There was a card in front of them that labeled them as for the Prince and Princess Katara exclusively. Iroh smiled. He had received a note from the young lady in questions revealing her intentions to host a sleepover and he gave a small chuckle. Oh the youngsters and their parties.

He made a point of sniffing each bottle, to check freshness. It was the best liquor pretty undisputedly but it did go bad quickly, and Iroh didn't want anyone going really loopy tonight. It was always difficult to explain to the nurses. He came to the last two bottles, both curiously marked with a scratch on the tops of the lids. He quickly realized that these two contained water, and thinking that the kitchen staff was cheating them out of the alcohol, Iroh poured out the water, and like a good uncle, refilled them with the strongest stuff on the market. He smiled to himself.

* * *

Zuko walked up to the doorway into the common room and opened it up.

"Hello?" He asked lightly, and wandered in. He was greeted by seven awkward looking girls fastidiously avoiding eye contact with each other. They were all in various forms of pjs and all were clearly in their sexiest garb. It was actually quite awkward for Zuko.

Suki wandered into the room, slinging her now longer hair up into a banana clip. "Oh! Hey Zuko!" She smiled and wandered over to him and gave him a light hug. She had on a dark green top that showed a strip of her belly and a pair of men's blue boxers. Zuko wondered if they were Sokka's, and had his answer when she turned and there was a clearly embroidered name in the back of the shorts. Zuko raised an eyebrow but quickly settled it back down. Suki settled lazily onto one of the couches that had Meng on the other end in a playful cotton nightgown. Zuko plopped into the armchair at the front of the room, facing the other girls and a lovely awkward silence settled over the room.

Cricket.

There was a knock at the door and Ty Lee, in a pink silk bathrobe, jumped up. "I'll get it!" She shrieked and cart wheeled to the door bounding the last few steps. "Who is it?" She called.

"Katara!" Came a shout from the other side "And I have goodies, so open up!" She demanded, but there was laughter in her voice. Ty Lee did promptly open the door and took the box shoved at her, she bounced over to the low table at the center of the room and plopped it down and turned around.

Katara walked in and every jaw in the room dropped. Katara had on what were probably the sexist pajamas Zuko had ever seen. If you could even call them pajamas. Zuko started from the bottom up. She had on black peep toe ankle booties; no tights but a pair of white knee-high tube socks with blue edging on top. There were black lace boy short underpants. On top she had an equally black t-shirt that ended just below her belly button and didn't leave anything to the imagination. Two suspenders clipped onto the bottoms of the shorts, winding up all the way over her ample bosom. Her hair was loose and wavy except for the silver band from earlier, now around her forehead; her eyes were rimmed in smoky black make up with a silver sheen. Zuko shifted uncomfortably, and several of the girls sat up a little straighter and checked the way they looked.

"So! Time to get ready for the party then." She sauntered over to the box and opened it, taking out personalized boxes for each girl tied with a red or green ribbon for their nation's colors. "Go and get ready girls!" Katara urged, sending them off to their rooms. As soon as they were all gone, Katara turned to Zuko. "I think I clean up alright." She put her hands on her hips and then turned to take out the bottles of liquor from the other side of the box.

All Zuko could do was gesture inarticulately at her body and nod. He now understood about whole 'making the girls jealous' thing. It just might work a little too well.

"Oh don't worry. I brought equally fun outfits for all the other girls too!" She smiled. Zuko's eyes widened.

"Okay, so, the two bottles with water should have the scratches on the lid. I added a bit of concentrated Cactus Juice to them, minus the extreme alcohol content, so it might be hard to tell the difference. Just trust me. Or the kitchens really. Ah well." She smiled, walked to Zuko and plopped herself down on the arm of his chair, waiting.

Soon enough the girl's emerged dressed, ah, interestingly. Well it kept Zuko entertained for a good little while anyway.

"Excellent." Katara stood up again moving to the table. "Let's get started!" She smirked as she spread out a line of shot glasses.

* * *

It took Zuko and Katara about three shots to realize that something had gone oh-so-very wrong somewhere along the way. Zuko was laughing at everything and Katara was getting sillier and more ridiculous with each sip.

"Zuko!" Katara whispered not so quietly. "Zuzu," she stopped to laugh "I think… ahahaha… I think that someone might have replaced the water with… ahahahaha… Cactus Juice…" and then she burst out laughing.

"Well… that's a serious problem." He attempted to make a serious looking face but ended up laughing anyway. Sadly, however, they were in the best condition of the party. The girls were in various states of drunkenness and thus participating in various activities. Mai was nursing what must have been her fourth shot, equally keeping pace with Zuko and Katara. She was sitting beside Jun on the couch and both were exchanging shots slowly. Ty Lee was on her second, but she wasn't near done, still able to perform hand stands and cartwheels (mostly). The rest were at about two and already feeling a little more than tipsy. Song, Meng and Jin were playing a game of keep-away with a pillow up on the couches. Smellerbee was practically asleep, she was so small it just didn't take much for her.

Zuko, Katara, and Suki were all sitting in front of the large chair and laughing while pouring shots and thus getting steadily drunker.

Katara told them all the story of Sokka and the raw cactus juice in the desert and they were all still slightly teary eyed from the laughter. "So, Suki, what are you doin here anyways? S'not like you actually like me or need a boyfriend?" Zuko asked, quelling the remainder of his laughter.

"I like you, just not like that! And… it's a secret!" She smiled mischievously "and im not supposta tell you!" She pointed to Zuko and smiled again "But I can tell you…" She pointed to Katara. "Don't listen Zuko!" She waved him off and turned to Katara. "So, Iroh sent me here to be a SPY for Zuko so that I can help him make decisions once they get tougher! It makes so much sense!" She seemed very proud of her covert position.

"You know, if you didn't want me to hear that… you mighta wanted to whisper it!" Zuko was struggling to keep back a smile.

"Ooooops…" Suki shrugged. "That sure wasn't intentional…" They all laughed then and went back to taking shots.

* * *

Suki finally gave in around 9 shots and she was the last of the girls to finally either pass out in the living room or stagger to their bedrooms. She managed to achieve the latter. Zuko and Katara each took a few more, Katara declaring defeat at 12, Zuko of course drinking 13. They then briefly entertained cleaning up the room and decided that in their drunken delirium it probably wasn't the best idea they'd ever had, so they merely shoved the bottles and glasses into the box so no one cut themselves and staggered out together to begin the walk back to their rooms.

The set up of the palace was such that there were the guest quarters on the far left, the family quarters up and in the center, and then the dignitaries' quarters on the far right. Since Katara was now a princess she was housed in the dignitaries quarters, and Zuko was in the family quarters. There was a garden between the three sides. They were headed for Zuko's rooms first, stumbling and staggering together across the yard.

When they got to his door still giggling madly, he fished his keys out which were miraculously still in his pocket. However his luck stopped there and his attempt to get the key into the lock was completely unsuccessful. Katara, who was still hanging onto his arm laughed quietly at him.

"We're completely drunk aren't we?" He asked looking back at her after another not so convincing attempt with the key and she adopted a thoughtful expression.

"Hmmm. Nope. I could be drunker!" She declared loudly looking proud of herself.

"How do you figure that?" He asked turning to face her.

"Well" She prompted and stepped closer to him. "I haven't done this yet…" She said quietly and stood on her tip toes to gently brush her lips over his. "I've been wanting to do that ever since that night we danced together. But I'm not telling you that." She smiled and Zuko did too, lowering his mouth to her again. It was different from kissing Mai, less familiar and more raw.

Breaking away, Zuko turned and slipped his key into the door, finally, opening it into his moon lit bedroom. He turned back to Katara as if he'd never broken the kiss and placed his hands on her hips. Slowly they walked into his room, and Katara kicked the door closed. No sooner than the lock clicked than her back was up against the smooth wood, her knees locked around his waist. The kisses were desperate and hungry. They were everything that had been bottled up and even some things that neither had known were even there. Zuko's hands slipped off her suspenders and explored the area beneath her t-shirt before stripping it off. Zuko shirt soon followed Katara's to the floor. Her legs slid from the wall to wrap around his hips and he stumbled with them both over to the bed where he pushed her into the mattress. Her hands moved from their grip in his hair to roam over his body, exploring the muscles she had so often watched stretch and contract in practice.

Slowly Zuko's mouth moved down. He kissed the soft spot between her collar bone and neck until he was sure there would be a mark left, her moans feeding his passion. His mouth roamed, edging the lacy lines of her bra and moving still downward to her belly button. He stopped for a moment and smirked. There was a streak of silver going from the top of her navel to the center where there was a small blue stone embedded in the silver carved into the shape of the water nation. He kissed her inny and then tugged lightly on her piercing with his teeth causing her to moan and yank lightly on his neck, bringing his mouth back up to hers for a kiss.

He could feel her smirk into the kiss and she rolled over on top of him. A pillow slipped off the bed, and slid onto his night stand causing the two scrolls resting on it to slide off and hit the floor with a deafening thud. The noise seemed to shatter the hazy shell of lust and drink-induced abandon that had descended over the two. Katara broke the kiss and sat up sharply.

"Oh La." Katara whispered to herself, putting her hand to her forehead. It slid down her face and while it rested over her mouth, she looked down at Zuko. His eyes were black as pitch and shining in the dark, full of half-formed questions. "Oh La." She muttered again from behind her hand and closed her eyes. Zuko placed his hand on her wrist and she jerked away, gracelessly extricating herself from Zuko and from his bed, as if she had to tear something binding her to him with every movement she made. Katara was not crying, though it seemed like an appropriate time; she did keep her hand by her face though. She walked stumbling from the room, her eyes never meeting Zuko's. She managed to find the door and open it, moving outside. She turned hastily and eased the door closed behind her, the slow click of the lock seeming the harshest last words ever said.

* * *

The next morning when Katara awoke with a vicious hang over, the first thing she registered in the room was her t-shirt, suspenders, shoes and head band from the night before folded neatly on the chest at the bottom of her bed. Her mother's necklace was right beside the pile where she had left it when she had come. Two reminders of two ideas which she had thought were different, but that now were very precariously intertwined.

* * *

When Zuko woke up, he looked at the sun shining in his window, his discarded shirt on the floor and the rumpled sheets of his bed. Then he smiled warmly and happily.

* * *

"My darling, you don't look well this morning." Iroh commented, in his ever calm and sage-like voice. Katara was wearing a light blue kimono style dress. Her eyes were sporting large, dark circles and her hair was unkempt and loose.

"Well. I may have had a tad-bit too much to drink…" She smiled and then winced. She called a servant over and wrote an order for him on a pad, so he could not get it wrong. He returned in a few minutes to deliver her requested items.

"Thank you." She attempted to smile again.

"So, I see you have found a new way to enjoy your tea, and is that….?" Iroh looked utterly confused.

"Um yeah. The mug is mine, I found it on my uh travels." She managed a weak smile and brought the cup to her lips. It was a tall, handle-less, earthenware cup. "It was hand thrown by a woman who lived in a village we had passed through. She was so grateful to us for what we were trying to do that she offered to throw me my own mug." She handled the flask tenderly, smiling.

"And the… soup?" Iroh grimaced. It looked rather… repulsive quite honestly…

"Oh, this is something that I learned from a very good friend of mine." She smiled gently and glanced down. "It's made of cabbage, artichokes, and chilies that have been cooked the hell out of, and a raw egg that has been dropped in the top right before serving, so it's just beginning to cook. It's the ultimate hangover cure, and it tastes like shit. But it works." She sipped from the bowl and grimaced.

"Interesting." Iroh commented and they fell silent until Katara had finished her soup.

"So, may I inquire where you learned this _remedy_?" He quirked an eyebrow over his tea cup, and Katara smiled lightly, already feeling better.

"After the Fall, I was asked to lead a special and international division that went through the nations basically, and assessed the damage from both sides. I was the only woman on the trip and I was constantly surrounded by men and masculinity. I got to know them though and the only thing we really had in common was that we had all fought in the war; we had all experienced something terrible." She leaned back in the chair, slowly pulling her hair around front and braiding it loosely. "We used to see all these terrible things, and I guess that they just drowned their sorrows in alcohol and soon I took it up. Not religiously or anything, but I learned to hold my own. And I learned to deal with the morning after. Ick." She smiled brightly and then rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Ahaha, I too am very familiar with that feeling. Never one I enjoyed." He smiled warmly and Katara laughed a little. "Ah, Nephew!" Iroh exclaimed gesturing to a spot on the cushions between Katara and himself, but Zuko didn't move to take it.

"You look terrible." Katara commented, not meeting his eyes. She gestured to a runner boy and ordered something from him.

"Thanks. You… _don't_." He rubbed his eyes and didn't meet her eyes either.

"Mhmm. Eat what I just ordered. It'll help." Zuko grunted an acceptance and moved to take the earlier offered seat. "Oh, I was just leaving anyway." Katara waved a hand dismissively and gracefully stood up. Zuko was standing right beside her when she rose and he placed a hand on her stomach, effectively stopping her from moving. He put his head close to her ear.

"We are going to need to talk." He whispered. "Soon." He then slid his thumb downward gliding over her belly button ring. "By the way, I didn't get a chance to tell you, but I like this. It really fits you." He then removed his hand and slipped into her vacated spot, smiling at Iroh. His uncle merely raised an eyebrow and continued to sip his tea. Katara, after a moment's hesitation, moved fluidly away from the pavilion and off to her other duties.

* * *

Zuko barely had to think that week as he sent Jun and Smellerbee home in the rose ceremony. The opposite end of the spectrum, Jun was simply too sexy and too rough and tumble for him, while Smellerbee was too innocent and not mature enough. It was not something he agonized over. There was too much on his mind for this to bother his conscious anyways. It'll get better next week, he told himself.

The Bachelor- Fire Nation Edition

Who will stay?

Who who will get burned?

And Who will go home broken hearted?

Find out next time on

THE BACHELOR!

* * *

A/N: YOU SHOULD REVIEW BECUASE THAT WAS REALLY LONG. so thank the good lord, i think that it should pick up after this with some fun and not as monotonous chapters!

you could review anyways tho. DO IT. (hint: push the button)

love youuuuu - V


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